carpetbagger

noun car·pet·bag·ger \ -ˌba-gər \

|Updated on: 31 Jul 2018

Definition of carpetbagger

1 : a Northerner in the South after the American Civil War usually seeking private gain under the reconstruction governments

2 : outsider; especially : a nonresident or new resident who seeks private gain from an area often by meddling in its business or politics

—

carpetbaggery

play \-ˌba-g(ə-)rē\ noun

See carpetbagger defined for English-language learners

See carpetbagger defined for kids

Recent Examples of carpetbagger from the Web

But his loyal following has challenged Cox at every turn, dismissing him as a carpetbagger and a secret liberal.

— alexei koseff, sacbee, "Who is John Cox? Trump-backed Republican faces Newsom in California's governor race," 6 June 2018
Meanwhile, backers of Villaraigosa — who is scrapping with Cox for the second spot in the primary — are airing an ad on Fox News and other stations that paints Cox as a Chicago carpetbagger and onetime Democrat who can't win elections.

— phil willon, latimes.com, "Trump endorses Republican John Cox for California governor," 19 May 2018
Rosendale moved to Montana from Maryland nearly 20 years ago, but Fagg is a fourth-generation Montanan and is painting Rosendale as a carpetbagger.

— tara golshan, Vox, "June 5 primary: live results for key races in California, New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico, Iowa, and Montana," 5 June 2018
In his race against the incumbent, Republican senator Kenneth Keating, Bobby was called a carpetbagger from Massachusetts and proved to be a flat public speaker.

— Time, "Robert F. Kennedy Was Killed While Campaigning for President. Here's What Drove Him to Run," 5 June 2018
Doesn’t carpetbagger Scott know by now that a real Floridian doesn’t get hysterical over summer rain and squalls?

— fabiola santiago, miamiherald, "Memo to Gov. Rick Scott: A real Floridian doesn’t get hysterical over rain and squalls," 29 May 2018
Republicans are expected to attack Mr. Wallace as a carpetbagger who only moved back to the district last year from Maryland and has not voted there in decades.

— New York Times, "Pennsylvania Primaries Deliver Strong Wins for Democratic Women," 15 May 2018
Blankenship’s first target was Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, whom Blankenship derided as a carpetbagger and a phony.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "Ready to rumble in West Virginia," 1 May 2018
Dow is a carpetbagger who only recently claimed residency in the district.

— mark naymik, cleveland.com, "CLE Chatter: Complaining costs Bay Village new library (for now); TJ Dow proves he's still deplorable; and other tidbits from our town," 27 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'carpetbagger.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of carpetbagger

from their carrying all their belongings in carpetbags

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1867

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

Other History Terms

agonistic, enceinte, fief, historiography, paladin

CARPETBAGGER Defined for English Language Learners

carpetbagger

noun

Definition of carpetbagger for English Language Learners

: a person from the northern United States who went to the South after the American Civil War to make money
: a political candidate who runs for office in a place where he or she has lived only for a short time