C. W. Ferguson
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How much nuance is there in a bag of sand? Here’s the nitty-gritty: when sandbag was first established as a verb in the 1800s, it meant (quite understandably) “to bank, stop up, or weight with sandbags,” but since then it has taken on several figurative meanings, some more obvious than others. First came the simple (and decidedly unfriendly in application) metaphorical extension: “to hit or stun as if with a sandbag.” Less literal uses followed, including “to treat unfairly or harshly” and “to coerce by crude means.” By the mid-20th century, sandbag was being used by poker players to describe the act of pretending a strong hand is actually weak, in order to draw other players into raising the bet. This use of sandbag has since evolved to refer to a general strategy of misrepresenting one’s intentions or abilities in order to gain some sort of advantage.
Examples of sandbag in a Sentence
Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
With makeshift levees built from plywood and sandbags, Portland’s downtown was just barely spared.
—Karen Weise, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
In Brisbane, residents were busy sandbagging their homes and stripping supermarket shelves of food and bottled water as authorities issued warnings about potential flooding.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sandbag
Cite this Entry
“Sandbag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandbag. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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