bag

1 of 3

noun

ˈbag How to pronounce bag (audio)
 also  ˈbāg
1
: a usually flexible container that may be closed for holding, storing, or carrying something: such as
a
: purse
especially : handbag
b
: a bag for game
c
2
: something resembling a bag: such as
a(1)
: a pouched or pendulous bodily part or organ
especially : udder
(2)
: a puffy or sagging protuberance of flabby skin
b
: a puffed-out sag or bulge in cloth
c
: a square white stuffed canvas bag used to mark a base in baseball
3
: the amount contained in a bag
4
a
: a quantity of game taken
also : the maximum legal quantity of game
b
: an assortment or collection especially of nonmaterial things
a bag of tricks
5
: an unattractive woman
6
: something one likes or does regularly or well
also : one's characteristic way of doing things

bag

2 of 3

verb

bagged; bagging

intransitive verb

1
: to swell out : bulge
2
: to hang loosely

transitive verb

1
: to cause to swell
2
: to put into a bag
3
a
: to take (animals) as game
b
: to get possession of especially by strategy or stealth
c
d
: to shoot down : destroy
4
: to achieve in or as if in competition : win
bag a playoff berth
5
informal
a
: to give up, forgo, or abandon especially for something more desirable or attainable
decided to bag her job and move to the country
often used with it
I headed all the way across campus in the sleet for my 12:40, and after twenty minutes I just wanted to bag it and crawl back into bed.Kate Haracz
b
: to dismiss (someone) from a job or position : fire, sack
Tiger's been losing his temper and his putting stroke. He shed his agent, and he bagged his caddy …Robert Sullivan
6
medical : to ventilate the lungs of (a patient) using a hand-squeezed bag attached to a face mask
I asked the respiratory therapist to continue bagging and assisting the patient while I sought the family's permission not to proceed with intubation.Malinda H. Bell
bagger noun
plural baggers

BAg

3 of 3

abbreviation

bachelor of agriculture
Phrases
in the bag
1
: sure, certain
her nomination was in the bag
also : assured of a successful conclusion : sewn up
have the game in the bag
2
slang : drunk sense 1a
Choose the Right Synonym for bag

catch, capture, trap, snare, entrap, ensnare, bag mean to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing.

catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

trap, snare, entrap, ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor.

trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals
snared butterflies with a net

entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question
a sting operation that ensnared burglars

bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

Examples of bag in a Sentence

Noun She packed her lunch in a paper bag. She put the pencil in her bag. a tired old man with bags under his eyes Verb He got a job bagging groceries. The hunters bagged five deer altogether. We bagged 10 fish today. She's expected to bag the award for the team's most valuable player. I bagged the last seat so everyone else had to stand.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
When that disposal method failed, Haskell was caught on security cameras dumping bags from the back of his Tesla in Encino, authorities said. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 Scroll through for the best bag trends from the fall 2024 season. Irene Kim, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2024 Fite allegedly threw plastic bags containing antisemitic materials into driveways and yards in multiple neighborhoods in the county. Will Carless, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 Each bag of Life Savers Bunnies and Eggs Gummies has three shapes inside: an egg, a bunny and an egg with a bunny poking out. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 Part of Governor Hochul’s plan to quiet rider apprehension — and to lure back those who have given up on the subway altogether — involves additional security cameras and more random bag checks, of the kind the police department has conducted for nearly 20 years. Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Over the past decade, Oscar gift bag inflation has surpassed all other indexes, leaving even gas and housing prices in its dust. Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 And Graham Sporty Stripe Pickleball Bag Serve the pickleball player with this handy (and cute!) bag. Paula Lee, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024 The 100% polyester fabric is waterproof, and the poncho comes in an adorable matching storage bag. Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024
Verb
The star bagged her second Best Actress award for her role as Bella Baxter in Poor Things on Sunday night. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 The main section is best for larger items or bagged items with a slimmer compartment in the back. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Feb. 2024 Bruno Guimarães bagged the winner with a sublime strike in the 66th minute; in what was his second goal from just his second shot. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 By Armani Syed February 5, 2024 8:01 AM EST Indian jazz band Shakti bagged Best Global Music Album for This Moment—their first studio release in 46 years—at Sunday’s 2024 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. TIME, 5 Feb. 2024 Yet with proper care and preparation, most people with a decent amount of fitness can bag this summit and return to the trailhead in a single day. Paul McHugh, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024 As the employee began to bag the cigarettes, the man lifts his sweatshirt to show him the firearm, telling the employee to open the register. Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2024 Selling out is always a risk with Lego, so don’t lose out on the opportunity to bag one of these new sets. Melissa Epifano, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2024 Despite her injury, Beckham’s sartorial flair was undimmed, with her security team carrying her black Hermès Kelly bag in the background. Alex Kessler, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bagge, from Old Norse baggi

Verb

Middle English baggen, verbal derivative of bagge bag entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bag was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near bag

Cite this Entry

“Bag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bag. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bag

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a container made of flexible material (as paper or plastic)
c
2
a
: a pouched or hanging bodily part or organ (as an udder)
also : a puffy sagging area of loose skin
bags under the eyes
b
: a puffed-out sag or bulge in cloth
c
: a square white stuffed canvas container that marks a base in baseball
3
: the amount contained in a bag
4
: a quantity of game taken or permitted to be taken

bag

2 of 2 verb
bagged; bagging
1
: to swell out
pants bag at the knees
2
: to put into a bag
bagging groceries
3
: to kill or capture in hunting
the hunter bagged a deer

Medical Definition

bag

1 of 2 noun
ˈbag
1
: a pouched or pendulous bodily part or organ
especially : udder
2
: a puffy or sagging protuberance of flabby skin
an aging face with bags below the eyes

bag

2 of 2 transitive verb
bagged; bagging
: to ventilate the lungs of (a patient) using a hand-squeezed bag attached to a face mask
I asked the respiratory therapist to continue bagging and assisting the patient while I sought the family's permission not to proceed with intubation.Malinda H. Bell, The Journal of the American Medical Association

More from Merriam-Webster on bag

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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