swap

American  

[swop] / swɒp /

especially British, swop

verb (used with object)

swapped, swapping

1. to exchange, barter, or trade, as one thing for another.

   He swapped his wrist watch for the radio.

2. to substitute (one thing) for another (sometimes followed byin ).

   Swap in red wine for white, since powerful nutrients are in the red grape's skin.

3. to replace (one thing) with another (sometimes followed byout ).

   To cut down on fat, swap cream for milk.

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verb (used without object)

swapped, swapping

1. to make an exchange.

noun

1. an exchange.

   He got the radio in a swap.

swap British  

/ swɒp /

verb

1. to trade or exchange (something or someone) for another

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noun

1. an exchange

2. something that is exchanged

3. Also called: swap option.   swaption.  finance a contract in which the parties to it exchange liabilities on outstanding debts, often exchanging fixed interest-rate for floating-rate debts ( debt swap ), either as a means of managing debt or in trading ( swap trading )

Other Word Forms

• swapper
  noun
• unswapped
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of swap

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English swappen “to strike, strike hands (in bargaining)”; cognate with dialectal German schwappen “to clap, box (the ears)”

Explanation

The word swap means you give something in exchange for something else. In the medieval ages, a farmer would swap — or exchange — his cow for his neighbor's horse. First used in the 1590s to mean "exchange, barter, trade," as a noun swap can mean an equal exchange. You might do a clothes swap with one of your friends in the hopes of perking up your wardrobe. As a verb swap describes the act of exchanging something for something else. You might swap oil for applesauce when baking brownies to make this treat healthier. In computer science swap means you move a piece of a computer program into memory.

Example Sentences

Sure: Humphrey does swap out the head atop her stick—that’s the mesh-lined basket used for catching, shooting, passing and scooping—once or twice a year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

At her picnic-like gatherings, attendees show up with blankets, snacks and scents to swap or discuss.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

For more than a decade, “Saturday Night Live” writers Colin Jost and Michael Che have marked breaks and finales with a joke swap segment.

From Salon • May 17, 2026

Further changes will be introduced in June which will allow learners to swap their driving tests to only three of their local test centres.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

It was a zero-sum bet: If you made $100 million, the guy who had sold you the credit default swap lost $100 million.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• substitute
• switch
• trade