exchange

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
: the act of giving or taking one thing in return for another : trade
an exchange of prisoners
2
a
: the act or process of substituting one thing for another
b
: reciprocal giving and receiving
3
: something offered, given, or received in an exchange
4
a
: funds payable currently at a distant point either in a foreign currency or in domestic currency
b(1)
: interchange or conversion of the money of two countries or of current and uncurrent money with allowance for difference in value
(3)
: the amount of the difference in value between two currencies or between values of a particular currency at two places
c
: instruments (such as checks or bills of exchange) presented in a clearinghouse for settlement
5
: a place where things or services are exchanged: such as
a
: an organized market or center for trading in securities or commodities
b
: a store or shop specializing in merchandise usually of a particular type
c
: a cooperative store or society
d
: a central office in which telephone lines are connected to permit communication

exchange

2 of 2

verb

exchanged; exchanging

transitive verb

1
a
: to part with, give, or transfer in consideration of something received as an equivalent
b
: to have replaced by other merchandise
exchanged the shirt for one in a larger size
2
: to part with for a substitute
exchanging future security for immediate pleasure
3
: to give and receive reciprocally
exchange gifts

intransitive verb

1
: to pass or become received in exchange
2
: to engage in an exchange
exchangeability noun
exchangeable adjective
exchanger
iks-ˈchān-jər How to pronounce exchange (audio)
ˈeks-ˌchān-
noun
Phrases
in exchange
: as a substitute

Examples of exchange in a Sentence

Noun an even exchange of property an angry exchange of insults a useful exchange of information threats of a nuclear exchange Verb We exchanged addresses and promised we'd write each other often. These coupons can be exchanged for food. I'd like to exchange this sweater for a smaller one.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In exchange for public subsidies, professional sports teams and developers pledge in a CBA to help the communities generous enough to provide them with tax breaks and other financial support. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024 The Chargers were able to retain their two premier edge rushers with Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa both accepting 2024 pay cuts in exchange for future assurances. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 The deal would release around 700 Palestinian prisoners — including 100 serving life sentences for killing Israeli nationals — in exchange for the release of 40 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, according to a CNN analyst Barak Ravid. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024 In 2015, amid one of the worst financial crises in Greece’s history, he was appointed by the country’s new left-wing government to try to save the financial system and to fend off punishing austerity measures that the country’s creditors had proposed in exchange for a bailout. Sheelah Kolhatkar, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 In previous deals, OpenAI convinced multiple reputable news organizations to surrender huge tranches of proprietary data that OpenAI could use to train its algorithms in exchange for...well, that part is less clear. Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 23 Mar. 2024 Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the other counts — the marijuana possession — in exchange for a guilty plea on the cocaine possession with intent to distribute charge. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2024 Orton began leasing the space for $1 a year decades ago, in exchange for restoring the former Ford plant that was converted during World War II to assemble military vehicles. Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024 The exchange caused moviegoers to voice their confusion online, causing Yeoh to clear the air in an Instagram post on Monday. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024
Verb
The lawsuit is expected to continue to discovery, the formal process of exchanging information between attorneys about witnesses and evidence that could be presented before a jury at trial. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024 Police said there was a disturbance in the parking lot and the off-duty officers exchanged gunfire with at least one suspect. The Indianapolis Star, 24 Mar. 2024 Police exchanged gunfire with a suspect and one of the officers was struck, police said. Jessica Gorman, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2024 Police said the off-duty officers exchanged gunfire with at least one suspect. USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024 The couple divorced in 2016, and Paltrow has since remarried, exchanging vows with Glee producer Brad Falchuk in 2018. Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 24 Mar. 2024 The two exchanging a few words while gazing out at the field. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 In Thoreau’s terms, how much of life is exchanged for all this screen time? Jonathan Haidt, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2024 Upon reaching David, the couple exchanged a kiss, a moment Vogue captured and shared on their Instagram. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exchange.' 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 exchaunge, from Anglo-French eschange, from eschanger to exchange, from Vulgar Latin *excambiare, from Latin ex- + cambiare to exchange — more at change

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near exchange

Cite this Entry

“Exchange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exchange. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

exchange

1 of 2 noun
1
: a giving or taking of one thing in return for another : trade
2
a
: the act of substituting one thing for another
3
a
: a place where things or services are exchanged
a stock exchange
b
: a central office in which telephone lines are connected to permit communication

exchange

2 of 2 verb
exchanged; exchanging
: to give in exchange : trade, swap
exchangeability noun
exchangeable adjective
exchanger noun

Legal Definition

exchange

noun
ex·​change
1
a
: a giving of something of value (as real property) in return for something of equal value (as money or property of a like kind)
b
in the civil law of Louisiana : a giving of something of value in return for something of equal value except money compare sale
2
: an organized market or center for trading in securities or commodities

More from Merriam-Webster on exchange

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