swap

especially British, swop

[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.

verb (used without object)

swapped, swapping 

1. to make an exchange.

noun

1. an exchange.

   He got the radio in a swap.

swap

/ swɒp /

verb

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of swap¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of swap¹

C14 (in the sense: to shake hands on a bargain, strike): probably of imitative origin

Example Sentences

Investors became concerned this summer after they learned that Apollo, the private-equity giant, had earlier taken a short position on First Brands through a credit-default swap trade, which was reported by the Financial Times.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It is only through mutual encouragement and the swapping of suppositions that they solve the crime.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He will swap arenas and stadiums for smaller venues across the UK, playing more intimate gigs including in Liverpool, London and Wolverhampton.

Read more on BBC

Israelis celebrated a potential ceasefire with Hamas, but remained wary that the deal, which calls for a return of hostages and a prisoner swap, could still fall apart.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Today we directly purchased Argentine pesos,” Bessent said in a post on X External link, adding that the U.S. has also finalized plans for a $20 billion currency swap.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• substitute 
• switch 
• trade