gag

/ɡæɡ/
verb
  1. To put something in or over someone's mouth to stop them from speaking.
    • In the play, the villain tries to gag the hero.
    • They gagged the witness to keep him from testifying.
    • The guards gagged the prisoner before the interrogation.
  2. To choke or feel like you are going to vomit, often because of something in your throat or a strong smell.
    • The strong smell of the garbage made her gag.
    • He started to gag when he swallowed the pill without water.
    • The smoke from the fire caused everyone to gag.
  3. To prevent someone from speaking freely or expressing their opinion.
    • The manager tried to gag the employees by threatening to fire them.
    • The government gagged the opposition party during the election.
    • The new law gags journalists from reporting on certain topics.
noun
  1. A joke or funny story, especially one that is part of a performance.
    • She wrote a new gag for the opening scene of the play.
    • That old gag about the chicken crossing the road still gets a chuckle.
    • The comedian told a quick gag that made everyone laugh.
  2. Something put in or over a person's mouth to prevent them from speaking or making noise.
    • The dentist placed a rubber gag to keep the patient's mouth open.
    • The kidnappers used a cloth gag to keep the victim quiet.
    • In the movie, the hero removed the gag from the prisoner's mouth.
  3. A law or rule that restricts free speech or the release of information.
    • The court issued a gag to prevent the media from reporting the details.
    • The company's gag on employees kept the scandal hidden for months.
    • Some countries have a gag on political criticism.
Synonyms