noun
gag
GAG
noun
1
Something placed in or over the mouth to prevent someone from speaking or crying out.
"The kidnappers tied a gag around his mouth."
2
A joke, prank, or funny bit written for comic effect.
"The film's best gag comes right at the end."
"It was just a gag — don't take it seriously."
3
A rule or order that prevents public discussion of something.
"The court issued a gag order banning the press from reporting details."
verb
1
To retch or feel the urge to vomit.
"The smell was so bad it made her gag."
2
To prevent someone from speaking, literally or figuratively.
"The regime tried to gag journalists critical of the government."
How to Use Gag
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething (or someone) stopping speech — literally a mouth-covering, or figuratively a legal or political silencing — or, separately, a comedy joke.
Common mistake
"Gag" (joke) and "gag" (silence someone) are unrelated meanings of the same spelling — context makes clear which is meant.
Common pairings
gag order
running gag
gag reflex
Word Forms
gagged past tense, gags plural, gags singular
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The kidnappers tied a _____ around his mouth.
Etymology
The noun appears in Early Modern English; the verb in Middle English. Possibly imitative in origin. The "joke" sense developed later, from the 1860s.