gag

/ˈɡæɡ/

//ˈɡæɡ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"gag" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gag” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,426 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#12,426
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device to restrain speech, such as a rag in the mouth secured with tape or a rubber ball threaded onto a cord or strap.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

gag vs go
33% similar
gag vs GM
0% similar
gag vs GB
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for gag
PropertyValue
Headwordgag
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡæɡ/
Letters3
Frequency rank#12,426
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gag” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). gag lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for gag is 3 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡæɡ/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,426 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for gag, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "go", "GM", "GB", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: The noun is from Early Modern English gagge; the verb is from Middle English gaggen. Possibly imitative or perhaps related to or influenced by Old Norse gag-háls ("with head thrown backwards"; > Norwegian dialectal gaga (“bent backwards”)). The intransitive… The correct English form is gag, spelled G-A-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    A device to restrain speech, such as a rag in the mouth secured with tape or a rubber ball threaded onto a cord or strap.
  2. 2
    An order or rule forbidding discussion of a case or subject.
  3. 3
    Any suppression of freedom of speech.
  4. 4
    A joke or other mischievous prank.
  5. 5
    a device or trick used to create a practical effect; a gimmick
  6. 6
    A convulsion of the upper digestive tract.
  7. 7
    A mouthful that makes one retch or choke.
  8. 8
    Unscripted lines introduced by an actor into his part.
  9. 9
    Mycteroperca microlepis, a species of grouper.
  10. 10
    A shocking or surprising thing.

Etymology

The noun is from Early Modern English gagge; the verb is from Middle English gaggen. Possibly imitative or perhaps related to or influenced by Old Norse gag-háls ("with head thrown backwards"; > Norwegian dialectal gaga (“bent backwards”)). The intransitive sense "to retch" is from 1707. The noun is from the 16th century, figurative use (for "repression of speech") from the 1620s. The secondary meaning "(practical) joke" is from 1863, of unclear origin.

Synonyms

gag order

This word in other languages

mordaza(Español)bâillon(Français)Knebel(Deutsch)mordaça(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gag"?
"gag" is spelled G-A-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡæɡ/.
What does "gag" mean?
As a noun, "gag" means: A device to restrain speech, such as a rag in the mouth secured with tape or a rubber ball threaded onto a cord or strap.
What words are commonly confused with "gag"?
"gag" is commonly confused with "go", "GM", "GB". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "gag"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gag" is /ˈɡæɡ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "gag"?
The noun is from Early Modern English gagge; the verb is from Middle English gaggen. Possibly imitative or perhaps related to or influenced by Old Norse gag-háls ("with head thrown backwards"; > Norwegian dialectal gaga (“bent backwards”)). The in... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “gag”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is G-A-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡæɡ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “go” - see the side-by-side comparison. gag vs go
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list