What does "gargle" mean?
A liquid used for gargling.
Gargle
/ˈɡɑːɡəl/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A liquid used for gargling.
- Grammar: gargle is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: mouthwash, baptize, bath, bathe.
- Useful contrasts: drink, silence, smoothness.
- Usage evidence: Gargle and wash your hands as soon as you get home so that you don't catch a cold.
How to use "gargle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gargle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gargle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gargle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gargle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gargle" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "mouthwash" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gargle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A liquid used for gargling. countable, uncountable
"But the case was pressing, and the nearest medical practitioner was sent for. On examining the throat, he expressed his desire that a physician should be called in, and accordingly a gentleman, duly authorized, made his appearance, and prescribed gargles and diluents secundem artem."
- 2 Obsolete form of gargoyle. alt-of, obsolete
- 3 the sound produced while gargling wordnet
- 4 The sound or act of gargling. countable
- 5 a medicated solution used for gargling and rinsing the mouth wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Lager or other alcoholic drink. countable, slang, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To clean one's mouth by holding water or some other liquid in the back of the mouth and blowing air out from the lungs. intransitive
"She hated the poisoned feeling in her throat, and no matter how often she gargled she felt unclean and disgusting."
- 2 rinse one's mouth and throat with mouthwash wordnet
- 3 To make a sound like the one made while gargling. intransitive
- 4 utter with gargling or burbling sounds wordnet
- 5 To clean a specific part of the body by gargling (almost always throat or mouth). transitive
"They don't gargle their throats with anything stronger than coffee at this tavern."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To use (a liquid) for purposes of cleaning one's mouth or throat by gargling. transitive
"Every morning he gargled a little cheap Scotch."
- 7 To perform oral sex on (a person or genitals). slang, transitive
"I'd like to gargle his marbles."
Antonyms
Example
"Gargle and wash your hands as soon as you get home so that you don't catch a cold."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gargle"?
Common synonyms include: mouthwash, baptize, bath, bathe, bib, dentifrice.
How do you use "gargle" in a sentence?
Gargle and wash your hands as soon as you get home so that you don't catch a cold.
How do you pronounce "gargle"?
Pronounced /ˈɡɑːɡəl/.
Etymology
From French gargouiller (“to gargle”), from Old French gargouille, gargole (“gutter, throat”). Compare gargoyle and Spanish garganta. Displaced non-native Middle English gargargisen (“to gargle”) from Latin, and native Old English swillan (“to gargle”) (ancestor of English swill).