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⇱ gag - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

gag

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈgæg/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/gæg/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(gag)

Inflections of 'gag' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
gags
v 3rd person singular
gagging
v pres p
gagged
v past
gagged
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
gag1 /gæg/USA pronunciation   v., gagged, gag•ging, n. 
v. 
  1. to stop up the mouth of (a person) by inserting a gag:[~ + object]They gagged their prisoner.
  2. to prevent (a newspaper or writer) from exercising free speech:[~ + object]The newspapers were gagged by government decree.
  3. Physiologyto (cause to) retch or choke: [no object]She gagged on the strong whiskey.[~ + object]The strong whiskey gagged her.

n. [countable]
  1. something put into a person's mouth to prevent speech, shouting, etc.
  2. any forced suppression of free speech:a gag on war reporting.

gag2 /gæg/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Informal Termsa joke or prank:played a gag on him by pretending he had won the lottery.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
gag1  (gag),USA pronunciation v., gagged, gag•ging, n. 
v.t. 
  1. to stop up the mouth of (a person) by putting something in it, thus preventing speech, shouts, etc.
  2. to restrain by force or authority from freedom of speech;
    silence.
  3. Surgeryto fasten open the jaws of, as in surgical operations.
  4. Physiologyto cause to retch or choke.
  5. Metallurgyto straighten or bend (a bar, rail, etc.) with a gag.

v.i. 
  1. Physiologyto retch or choke.

n. 
  1. something put into a person's mouth to prevent speech, shouting, etc.
  2. any forced or arbitrary suppression of freedom of speech.
  3. Surgerya surgical instrument for holding the jaws open.
  4. Metallurgya shaped block of steel used with a press to straighten or bend a bar, rail, etc.
  • 1400–50; late Middle English gaggen to suffocate; perh. imitative of the sound made in choking
    2. curb, stifle, suppress.
gag2  (gag),USA pronunciation n., v., gagged, gag•ging. [Informal.]
n. 
  1. Informal Termsa joke, esp. one introduced into a script or an actor's part.
  2. Informal Termsany contrived piece of wordplay or horseplay.

v.i. 
  1. Informal Termsto tell jokes or make amusing remarks.
  2. Informal Termsto introduce gags in acting.
  3. Informal Termsto play on another's credulity, as by telling false stories.

v.t. 
  1. Informal Termsto introduce usually comic interpolations into (a script, an actor's part, or the like) (usually fol. by up).
  • 1770–80; perh. special use of gag1; compare Old Norse gagg yelp

gag3  (gag),USA pronunciation n., pl. (esp. collectively) gag,  (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) gags. 
  1. Fisha serranid game fish, Mycteroperca microlepsis, found along the southeastern coast of the U.S.
  2. Fishany of several related fishes.
  • origin, originally uncertain 1880–85, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
gag /ɡæɡ/ vb (gags, gagging, gagged)
  1. (transitive) to stop up (a person's mouth), esp with a piece of cloth, etc, to prevent him or her from speaking or crying out
  2. (transitive) to suppress or censor (free expression, information, etc)
  3. to retch or cause to retch
  4. (intransitive) to struggle for breath; choke
  5. (transitive) to hold (the jaws) of (a person or animal) apart with a surgical gag
  6. (transitive) to apply a gag-bit to (a horse)
  7. be gagging for, be gagging to ⇒ slang to be very eager to have or do something
 n
  1. a piece of cloth, rope, etc, stuffed into or tied across the mouth
  2. any restraint on or suppression of information, free speech, etc
  3. a surgical device for keeping the jaws apart, as during a tonsillectomy
Etymology: 15th Century gaggen; perhaps imitative of a gasping sound
gag /ɡæɡ/ informal n
  1. a joke or humorous story, esp one told by a professional comedian
  2. a hoax, practical joke, etc: he did it for a gag
 vb (gags, gagging, gagged)
  1. (intransitive) to tell jokes or funny stories, as comedians in nightclubs, etc
  2. (often followed by up)
    • to interpolate lines or business not in the actor's stage part, usually comic and improvised
    • to perform a stage jest, either spoken or based on movement
Etymology: 19th Century: perhaps special use of gag1
'gag' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: pulled a gag on him, enough of your gags!, is this supposed to be a gag?, more...

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