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
Lauren-Kennedy Brown, Charlotte Observer, 20 June 2025
With many waterways expected to crest at major flood stage over the weekend, residents of river towns in Arkansas, Missouri and beyond were racing to fill up sandbags.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Editorial, Boston Herald, 21 June 2025
This is done to prevent teams from sandbagging in the races that lead up to their most important race of the year
As the newest and least competitive car, the Valkyrie gets the biggest break, with a minimum weight of just 2,271 lbs (1,030 kg) and a maximum power of 697 hp (520 kW).
—ArsTechnica, 11 June 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 5 Jul. 2025.
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