swag

\ ˈswag

Definition of swag

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 informal

a : goods acquired by unlawful means : booty, loot … the swag from this and other forms of graft was kept hidden …— Frederick Lewis Allen … a pirate's spectral wife, who has roamed the harbor ever since she was left behind to guard his swag.— Katharine Whittemore

b : valuable articles or goods One of the premier spots in the area to land home-bar swag is Pub Stuff in Stafford. The store is packed with everything … for homeowners looking to make their bar stand out.— Matt Pais

c : promotional goods or items … Ravens gear was selling better than O's swag. I bought one of the cartoon-bird caps …— David Simon

d : goods given to people who attend or participate in an event Her handbags … one year were a part of the swag celebrities brought home from the Screen Actors Guild Awards.— Karen Martin

e : money, lucre … affirmed that he is now bonded to pay up to $5,000 to any listener who may lose out on swag being offered by another network.— Saul Carson

2a : a decorative strip or chain hanging in a curve between two points : festoon … transverse swags of carmine floral design and top crown frieze …— James Joyce

b : a suspended cluster of something (such as evergreen branches) Garlands of green, with roses interspersed, were in swags and loops about the splendid walls …— E. Barrington

3 : a slow movement back and forth : sway sense 1 … a shudder took the whole structure of the vessel and my body on the bed, too, and the Kentucky Queen yawed to the deep inner swag of the river.— Robert Penn Warren

4 chiefly Australia : a pack of personal belongings … I'd be the last to strike my tent and sling my swag.— Ambrose Bierce

swag

noun (2)

Definition of swag (Entry 2 of 3)

US slang

: bold or brash self-confidence : swagger, cockiness His theory: "If you want the world to change, you must be the change you want in the world … . It's good to have swag but better to have substance."— Briana Barner On Sunday, hometown faves Derrick Carter and Jamila Woods tear up the Blue stage while Beyonce's little sister, Solange, brings her grown woman swag as the headliner on the Green stage.— Mary L. Dratcher Lewis spoke of "a breezy self confidence," known perhaps today as swag …— Anton Allahar I'm not just talking about his cheesy one-liners and the smirk that sometimes comes with them—the way he delivers that line is pure swag.— LaToya Ferguson

swag

verb

swagged; swagging

Definition of swag (Entry 3 of 3)

intransitive verb

1 : sway, lurch

2 : sag, droop

transitive verb

1 : to adorn with swags

2 : to arrange (something, such as drapery) in swags

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about swag

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of swag in a Sentence

Noun (1) The robbers divided the swag. robbed a bank and hid the swag under the floorboards Verb the days of endless worrying had taken their toll, and the old woman's face swagged with exhaustion

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun There are easy ways to recycle unwanted Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands and swags, with trash haulers, scouts and wildlife advocates prepared to help. — oregonlive, "Is your holiday greenery turning brown? Recycle it to help wildlife, wetlands, scouts," 5 Jan. 2020 While Gophers players in the Outback Bowl will receive swag (including watches, rings, gift cards) worth up to $550, Minnesota also is allowed by the NCAA to give players additional bounty. — Charley Walters, Twin Cities, "Charley Walters: Playoff win likely required for new deals for Kirk Cousins, Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman," 28 Dec. 2019 Or the bright orange swag that is offered by the Gage shop in Ferndale. — Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press, "A last-minute holiday gift guide for cannabis enthusiasts," 21 Dec. 2019 But naming that feeling of feeling bored or unstimulated prompted us to find ways to make meetings exciting by pumping up the music, giving away swag, and ensuring the people leading brought high energy. — Justin Kan, Quartz at Work, "Learning how to give healthy feedback changed my entire leadership approach," 16 Dec. 2019 The proliferation of her baggy, adrogynous ensembles and sk8er swag (girl or boi, who cares) speak for that, but even the song that launched her to superstardom this year was birthed from ordinary teenage time passing. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "The 100 Best Songs of 2019: Staff List," 11 Dec. 2019 Guys around this facility and the organization have started to get a little swag, started to play with some juice. — Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, "Vic Fangio evaluates Drew Lock’s “good two-week start to his career” as the rookie quarterback prepares for homecoming test in Kansas City," 9 Dec. 2019 Yang’s crowds have grown bigger, there’s more swag available (including paper crowns) and a press handler noted their communications operation had improved. — Time, "Andrew Yang Has the ‘Yang Gang’ to Thank for His Lasting Primary Power," 5 Nov. 2019 From New York to Marrakech the Cacho’s swag has us ready to step up our travel style and join the big leagues. — Danielle Pointdujour, Essence, "This Couple's Travel Swag Has Us Ready To Step Our Style Game Up," 21 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The two-bedroom suite is further swagged out with robes, pillows, towels, and eye masks in Hästens's trademark blue and white checkered pattern. — Kaitlin Menza, House Beautiful, "This NYC Hotel Now Offers a Room with a $200,000 Mattress," 13 Dec. 2019 Business is all about the packaging, and the enormous stacks of sharply illustrated shipping boxes for all that swag sent a clear and strong message. — Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, "Go inside Santa Saban’s NFL swag boxes," 24 Sep. 2019 The 100-year-old maroon velvet rope still swags alongside the curving stairs. — Judy Rose, Detroit Free Press, "John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. were guests in $2.1M Detroit mansion," 10 July 2019 Souvenirs from his time include a fortune worth of silk window treatments — draped, swagged, fringed, puddled or ballooned — that reach past 20 feet tall in the living room. — Judy Rose, Detroit Free Press, "$2.35M Bloomfield Hills home comes with 2 kitchens and a tree house," 29 June 2019 In Rossa, Buren’s stripes wrap the soft edges of the building, the two patterns of color meeting in a swagging line around the middle. — Shonquis Moreno, Curbed, "‘If you take out the art, the building itself can’t stand’," 6 Aug. 2018

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