jag

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈjag 

1

a

: spree

a crying jag

b

: a state or feeling of exhilaration or intoxication usually induced by liquor

2

: a small load

jag

2 of 4

noun (2)

: a sharp projecting part : barb

jag

3 of 4

verb

jagged; jagging

intransitive verb

1

: to move in jerks

2

: prick, thrust

transitive verb

1

: to cut indentations into

also : to form teeth on (a saw) by cutting indentations

2

chiefly dialectal : prick, stab

jagger noun

JAG

4 of 4

abbreviation

judge advocate general

Examples of jag in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There’s the deep sea portion—the Davy Jones’ Locker realm where only top-secret missions and movie directors on submarine jags dare venture. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Dec. 2024

Trump appears to go on posting jags, sometimes well after midnight, rattling off Truths multiple times a minute. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 Sep. 2024

Since its buying jag began, the company has filed suit in federal court against a group of families the firm purchased property from, seeking $510 million. —Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023

One bear, on a jag this spring, broke into multiple unlocked vehicles. —Vanessa Arredondo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023

Alcohol exacerbated Brian’s fragile disposition — leading to tantrums, meltdowns, car crashes, and crying jags. —Elizabeth Winder, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2023

Music is a surefire way to stop a crying jag for some babies. —Parents Editors, Parents, 7 June 2023

Even the butt-freezing toilet, located in an unheated stall outside the front door, elicited tears; the thought of Nina's stew—a thin combination of carrots, duck, celery, and old bread of which Julia was never awarded any of the meat—brought on a full crying jag. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 4 May 2021

No one wants to be barraged with unsolicited advice, but sometimes another mom's reassurance that the two-week sniffles are a real thing or her tip for kneading gas bubbles out of a baby's tummy is the difference between sanity and a crying jag while panic-calling the pediatrician. —Charlotte Hilton Andersen, Redbook, 25 Aug. 2017

Verb

In the summer of 2023, William Brown was taking on credit card debt as the cost of his rent and groceries jagged up. —Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Feb. 2025

The slit was about eight feet wide, 60 feet high, and jagged all the way up. —Fred Bear, Outdoor Life, 6 Apr. 2022

In August, Scott appeared at a town hall in Charleston, the beginning of a campaign jag across his home state. —Robert Samuels, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2023

The GOP impeachment jag alone may help swing some battleground districts to Democrats. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2023

The boundary line drawn by the Republicans had jagged up from Superior to keep Endsley’s house in the district. —Dan Kaufman, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Verb

Middle English jaggen

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1578, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Kids Definition

jag

1 of 2 noun

ˈjag 

: a sharp pointed part

jag

2 of 2 noun

: spree

a crying jag

Legal Definition

JAG

abbreviation

judge advocate general