swap

1 of 2

verb

swapped; swapping
Synonyms of swapnext

transitive verb

1
a
: to give in trade : barter
2
: to take turns in telling
swap stories

intransitive verb

: to make an exchange
swapper noun

swap

2 of 2

noun

: an act, instance, or process of exchanging one thing for another

Examples of swap in a Sentence

Verb He swapped his cupcake for a candy bar. I swapped seats with my sister so she could see the stage better. I liked her blue notebook and she liked my red one, so we swapped. Noun They made the swap in secret. we made a swap: I'll do the dishes tonight and she'll do them for me tomorrow
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
There’s no better time to swap scary stories than when the wind is howling and candles are flickering. Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026 Frederic Kanoute, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick are other names to have swapped east for north London, with Spurs fans mockingly referring to West Ham as their ‘feeder club’. Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 24 May 2026
Noun
Sometimes foot pain really does come down to wearing completely flat sandals on repeat, and this pair feels like a smarter swap. Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2026 Another client with a public market portfolio valued at more than US$500 million benefited from a bespoke total return swap transaction executed by the bank’s Global Financial Markets team—a solution typically used by institutional clients. Dbs Private Bank, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for swap

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English swappen to strike; from the practice of striking hands in closing a business deal

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swap was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swap. Accessed 28 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

swap

verb
ˈswäp
swapped; swapping
: to give in exchange : make an exchange : trade
swap noun

Legal Definition

swap

noun
ˈswäp
1
: an exchange of securities
2
: a derivative contract in which two parties (as corporations) agree to exchange rates especially relating to debt

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