as in exchanges
to give up (something) and take something else in return
we swapped our other lawn mower for our neighbors' old snowblower
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in trades
a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another
we made a swap: I'll do the dishes tonight and she'll do them for me tomorrow
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 swaps
Saveur Editors, Saveur, 15 Apr. 2026
In these images, Monroe swaps hyper-glam for vulnerability.
—Joshua John Miller, Vanity Fair, 9 Apr. 2026
Boston’s second-most common lineup since Tatum’s return, which swaps Pritchard in for Hauser alongside the other four starters, has outscored opponents by 56 points over 48 minutes.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
While strawberry shortcakes are usually made with biscuits, this recipe swaps them for tender little cakes baked in muffin tins.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Louisianians know the pleasure of a cushaw, which swaps perfectly with pumpkin.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
Sweet Caroline swaps the typical dinner-and-drinks routine for something way more interactive.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Reid shares videos of her skating journey to more than 46,000 Instagram followers, and Inclusive Skating swaps coaching tips and competition dates.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, the Hawks run a five-out offense that swaps the center and power forward on the perimeter, giving him miles of space and asking absolutely nothing complicated of him.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Shop sustainable swaps for earth month Making sustainable swaps this Earth Month means choosing reusable, low-waste and eco-friendly alternatives to everyday products.
—Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Just a few simple swaps can turn these dessert classics into a fancier parfait or a bowl of oatmeal.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Its official gold holdings dropped by 131 tons in March through swaps and outright sales as authorities sought to stabilize the lira, according to a report published by Metals Focus last Thursday.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
While kitchen and living room upgrades get all the attention, a handful of affordable swaps can transform your bathroom into a space that genuinely feels like a retreat — no contractor required.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2026
The Hornets boast 11 first-round picks along with 14 second-rounders over the next seven years, valuing even marginal improvements such as pick swaps or extra second-round selections.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
This flexible recipe allows the mashed sweet potatoes to be sweeter or more savory with some simple swaps.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026
The remaining items will be stored by Accelerated Climate Solutions for future swaps, the district said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
Here, chef Hugh Acheson swaps out the sugar for maple syrup and adds fresh marjoram and chiles, yielding an earthier dish with just the right amount of heat.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 15 Apr. 2026
In these images, Monroe swaps hyper-glam for vulnerability.
—Joshua John Miller, Vanity Fair, 9 Apr. 2026
Boston’s second-most common lineup since Tatum’s return, which swaps Pritchard in for Hauser alongside the other four starters, has outscored opponents by 56 points over 48 minutes.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
While strawberry shortcakes are usually made with biscuits, this recipe swaps them for tender little cakes baked in muffin tins.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Louisianians know the pleasure of a cushaw, which swaps perfectly with pumpkin.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
Sweet Caroline swaps the typical dinner-and-drinks routine for something way more interactive.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Reid shares videos of her skating journey to more than 46,000 Instagram followers, and Inclusive Skating swaps coaching tips and competition dates.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, the Hawks run a five-out offense that swaps the center and power forward on the perimeter, giving him miles of space and asking absolutely nothing complicated of him.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
That would allow the Heat essentially to offer three first-round picks and three pick swaps, along with players.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Shop sustainable swaps for earth month Making sustainable swaps this Earth Month means choosing reusable, low-waste and eco-friendly alternatives to everyday products.
—Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Just a few simple swaps can turn these dessert classics into a fancier parfait or a bowl of oatmeal.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Its official gold holdings dropped by 131 tons in March through swaps and outright sales as authorities sought to stabilize the lira, according to a report published by Metals Focus last Thursday.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
While kitchen and living room upgrades get all the attention, a handful of affordable swaps can transform your bathroom into a space that genuinely feels like a retreat — no contractor required.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2026
The Hornets boast 11 first-round picks along with 14 second-rounders over the next seven years, valuing even marginal improvements such as pick swaps or extra second-round selections.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
This flexible recipe allows the mashed sweet potatoes to be sweeter or more savory with some simple swaps.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026
The remaining items will be stored by Accelerated Climate Solutions for future swaps, the district said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swaps
Verb
-
To address the challenge, the team designed a swap gate based purely on geometric phases, that exchanges the quantum state of two qubits.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Dorian Gray, the Victorian era’s proto-Clavicular, literally exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty—a move that the looksmaxxing community would seem to endorse wholeheartedly.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If the Heat trades Ware this offseason, or if team brass decides that Adebayo needs a different power rotation player alongside him and Ware coming off the bench, Miami will have options in free agency.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
-
With the stock trading around $177, those roughly at-the-money contracts are implying a fifty-fifty chance of expiring profitable by Friday, a fairly tame way to place a bet on a stock that typically trades like a more volatile version of bitcoin.—
Oliver Renick,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Agreed, but this bill substitutes the long, painstaking and complex work of fixing California’s troubled insurance market with finger-pointing and posturing.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Rosenson said that if CRISPR is a scissor that cuts both strands of DNA, base editing is an eraser that substitutes one chemical letter, or base, in a single strand of DNA.—
David Cox,
NBC news,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But stress changes what your body does.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
This changes how the body handles the hormone and carries higher cardiovascular risks than the patch.—
Tabitha Britt,
Flow Space,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaps. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
