1
as in flapping
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions
the cat's tail wagged back and forth in annoyance
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in gossiping
to relate sometimes questionable or secret information of a personal nature
tongues will wag as soon as word of the house's selling price gets around
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wagging
Dogs of all shapes and sizes entered the gates of Citi Field Thursday night with wagging tails, floppy ears and plenty of Mets gear.
—
Christina Cardona,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Bruce was next seen wrapped in towels on the boat, wagging his tail happily after being rescued.
—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
Carousel of Progress’ animatronic family — headed by John and Sarah — will remain, including Uncle Orville and Rover, the dog with the ever-wagging tail.
—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
But in Croisette conversations about potential runners, riders and rovers, one mutt kept wagging its tail.
—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Dakota, a 3 ½-year-old Australian shepherd mix, bounced into the ring, her tail wagging.
—
Ross Mantle,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Tax savings are real, but when the tax tail starts wagging the family dog, reversibility quietly disappears.
—
Royce Ramey,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Her epic Valentine’s Day rant had tongues wagging for weeks.
—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
9 May 2026
Díaz disagreed, wagging his figure at the flag-bearer, and a VAR check confirmed Bayern could begin the celebrations.
—
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Christina Cardona,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Bruce was next seen wrapped in towels on the boat, wagging his tail happily after being rescued.
—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
Carousel of Progress’ animatronic family — headed by John and Sarah — will remain, including Uncle Orville and Rover, the dog with the ever-wagging tail.
—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
But in Croisette conversations about potential runners, riders and rovers, one mutt kept wagging its tail.
—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Dakota, a 3 ½-year-old Australian shepherd mix, bounced into the ring, her tail wagging.
—
Ross Mantle,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Tax savings are real, but when the tax tail starts wagging the family dog, reversibility quietly disappears.
—
Royce Ramey,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Her epic Valentine’s Day rant had tongues wagging for weeks.
—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
9 May 2026
Díaz disagreed, wagging his figure at the flag-bearer, and a VAR check confirmed Bayern could begin the celebrations.
—
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wagging
Verb
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Video from the group's livestream showed Luna flapping his wings on a branch before taking off.
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In the video, backed by champagne synths and hopscotching snares, a tuxedoed Jaeychino strolls the beach in Margiela sneakers, his jacket flapping in the wind as seafoam washes ashore.
Verb
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GiGi had been on the phone for the past hour, the receiver tucked between her head and her left shoulder, a Prince album playing loudly so Syl couldn’t hear her gossiping.
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Others reported witnessing judgmental comments, gossiping, staff intentionally violating patient privacy, staff wanting to punish the patients for their actions and denial of pain management during labor.
Verb
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The strips are piled high in plastic bins, sprawled over tables and fed underneath bobbing needles.
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Fascinators — those bobbing bundles often of feathers, flowers and netting perched off-center of the wearer’s head — are banned here.
Verb
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The Argentine legend unlocked the Cape Verde defense in the 29th minute, controlling a long diagonal pass with one touch in the box and promptly flicking it over the head of a charging Vozinha.
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Mayele put Congo ahead 10 minutes later when flicking past Nematov at the near post and was mobbed by teammates and even substitutes, who raced off the bench and across the field to join in the wild celebrations.
Verb
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As the order to evacuate was played over loudspeakers on the National Mall, some people appeared to be standing in place, talking with those around them and not exiting the area, while others were walking toward exits.
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His straight-talking and cliche-less approach hasn’t stopped, either.
Verb
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Conversations struck up while pumping gas or waiting for coffee.
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Firefighters deployed to the Turkey Creek pumping station and tried desperately to keep the engine room dry.
Verb
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There is something cultish about that idea — the player who tends not to start but has the knack to appear later on with antennae twitching, ready to seize the day and alter the course of a match.
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Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.
Verb
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This tournament has built credibility by showcasing teams competing at a high level, then shaking hands afterward.
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An earth-shaking roar The World Cup finally arrived in Kansas City after several years of preparation and anticipation.
Cite this Entry
“Wagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wagging. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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