bag 1 of 2

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2
as in purse
a container for carrying money and small personal items she keeps her keys, phone, and wallet each in separate compartments in her bag so that she always knows where they are

Synonyms & Similar Words

bag

2 of 2

verb

1
2
3
as in to leave
to give up (a job or office) if the supervisor says one more nasty thing to me, I'm going to bag this stupid job

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bag contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bag are capture, catch, ensnare, entrap, snare, and trap. While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

Where would capture be a reasonable alternative to bag?

The words capture and bag can be used in similar contexts, but capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

When is it sensible to use catch instead of bag?

While in some cases nearly identical to bag, catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

How do entrap and ensnare relate to one another, in the sense of bag?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question
a sting operation that ensnared burglars

How is trap related to other words for bag?

Trap, snare, entrap, and ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. Trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals
snared butterflies with a net

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bag
Noun
The autopsies —and a single .40 caliber shell casing found inside a white plastic bag — suggested that the shots came from the left rear passenger side, where Melly was caught on tape sitting earlier that night. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 May 2025 Hayes was later seen counting and sorting his eggs in a bag while standing in a living room. Kayla Grant, People.com, 12 May 2025
Verb
Zipline/Walmart employees still have to shop for the items, bag them up and load them onto the Zip. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2025 One of our group hunted it on a rainy afternoon — traditionally a horrible time to bag a bird — and killed a 3-year-old tom. —A.M. Don’t Become Overly Reliant on Your Cameras Cameras aren’t magic. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bag
Noun
  • Poking out of the pen pouches on the satchel is a row of tiny state flags, representing each of the states that Michael’s office covered.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
  • On the backside, a small, zippered pouch can hold first aid items, and the pass-through pocket makes a shell or other layer easy to grab or stash mid-run.
    Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • The Travelers, one of The Tour’s Signature Events, offers a $20 million purse.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 May 2025
  • Having styled her hair in a sleek top knot, her diamond hoop earrings were on full display and perfectly coordinated with her sparkly purse and heeled sandals.
    Latoya Gayle, People.com, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • Using metal detectors and magnetometers, the team was able to locate large bits of steel and iron protruding from the seafloor that turned out to be parts of the frame and windlass, the machine used to reel in the anchor.
    Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
  • One of the biggest surprises of the 2025 Met Gala is Rihanna’s protruding belly.
    Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • Combs returns to the scene shortly thereafter and appears to grab at the phone.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • The third assistant director, referred to as Sarah, described Depardieu grabbing her buttocks and breasts on two separate occasions on set.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • What's left is rosemary, a spice that many, many people already have in their kitchen, or maybe even growing like an angry weed in their backyard.
    Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 18 May 2025
  • The aspirational numbers are dazzling but many details are undefined, with much left to be decided down the road in a world fraught with geopolitical and economic impediments.
    David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • His administration won significant backing from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
    Tom Perry, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • In each case, the playbook is the same: win big at home.
    Alex Lazarow, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Felton pitched three innings, earning her 14th win of the season.
    Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2025
  • Through the Girls Take Flight practicum, 50 high school girls under the age of 18 have earned their FAA 107 Remote Pilot Certification.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Chicago was also extremely active in free agency, adding guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, and center Drew Dalman to an offensive line that allowed 68 sacks a year ago.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • Parsons has accumulated 52 1/2 sacks and 112 quarterback hits in four seasons for the Cowboys.
    Josh Kendall, New York Times, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bag. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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