swap

1 of 3

verb

ˈswäp 

swapped; swapping

transitive verb

1

a

: to give in trade : barter

b

: exchange sense 2

2

: to take turns in telling

swap stories

intransitive verb

: to make an exchange

swapper noun

swap

2 of 3

noun (1)

: an act, instance, or process of exchanging one thing for another

swapper

3 of 3

noun (2)

swap·​per

ˈswäpə(r), 

-wȯp-

plural -s

: one that swaps

Synonyms of swap

Verb

• exchange
• trade
• substitute
• change

Noun (1)

• exchange

Examples of swap in a Sentence

Verb

He swapped his cupcake for a candy bar.

I swapped seats with my sister so she could see the stage better.

I liked her blue notebook and she liked my red one, so we swapped.

Noun (1)

They made the swap in secret.

we made a swap: I'll do the dishes tonight and she'll do them for me tomorrow

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Falcons swapped one veteran quarterback for another as a result, releasing veteran Trevor Siemian and adding Cooper Rush. — ABC News, 29 July 2026

Companies will keep running a mix of models, some open, some closed, and swap them out whenever something better or cheaper comes along. — Don Muir, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Noun

Switch is described as a body swap rom-com centered on a Black woman and a white man who have to walk a week in each other’s lives. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 July 2026

If blood sugar management is a priority, choosing pulpy citrus or vegetable juice over clear apple or grape juice is a small swap with a real payoff. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English swappen to strike; from the practice of striking hands in closing a business deal

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1625, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing swap

• swap meet
• swap stories

Rhymes for swap

• bop
• chop
• cop
• crop
• drop
• flop
• fop
• hop
• knop
• lop
• mop
• op

Kids Definition

swap

verb

ˈswäp

swapped; swapping

: to give in exchange : make an exchange : trade

swap noun

Legal Definition

swap

noun

ˈswäp

1

: an exchange of securities

2

: a derivative contract in which two parties (as corporations) agree to exchange rates especially relating to debt