English Reference

Word

bag

Phoneticsbag

US/ˈbæɡ/

UK/bˈæɡ/

Definitions

01flexible container

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. a container made of thin material like paper, plastic, or cloth used to carry things.

n. a flexible container with an opening at the top, typically made of paper, plastic, or fabric, used for carrying or storing goods.

“He carried the heavy groceries home in a large paper bag.”

“The supermarket has transitioned to biodegradable bags to reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastics.”

Synonyms

02handbag or travel bag

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. a stronger container with handles used for personal items or travel.

n. a durable container, often with handles or straps, designed for personal belongings or luggage.

“She realized she had left her bag on the bus this morning.”

“The traveler checked his bag at the counter before proceeding through security to the departure gate.”

03skin under eyes

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Medicine

n. puffy or dark skin under your eyes, usually because you are tired.

n. loose or puffy skin under the eyes, typically associated with exhaustion or aging. Usually plural.

“He had dark bags under his eyes after staying up all night.”

“Chronic sleep deprivation often manifests physically as prominent bags under the eyes and a generally sallow complexion.”

Synonyms

puffiness

04a large amount

B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun British English · Informal

n. a lot of something.

n. a large quantity or abundance of something. Often used in the plural 'bags of'.

“Don't worry about the snacks; we have bags of crisps in the kitchen.”

“The young candidate has bags of enthusiasm, though he lacks the professional experience required for such a senior role.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

05personal preference

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal

n. the kind of thing that you like or are interested in.

n. an individual's particular area of interest, expertise, or preference.

“I'm not going to the jazz club; it's just not my bag.”

“While some enjoy the technicalities of tax law, it was never really his bag, so he moved into criminal defense instead.”

06mathematical collection

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical

n. a group of things where the same item can appear more than once.

n. a collection of objects in which the order does not matter but elements may be repeated.

“In this math problem, we treat the group of numbers as a bag.”

“Unlike a standard set, a bag allows for multiple instances of the same value, which is useful for certain computational algorithms.”

Synonyms

multiset

Antonyms

set

07to put in a bag

A2 · Elementary

v. to put things into a bag.

v. to place items into a bag for transport or sale.

“The clerk helped her bag the groceries at the checkout.”

“After the harvest, the workers spent the afternoon bagging the potatoes for distribution to local markets.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

08to catch or claim

B1 · Intermediate Informal

v. to succeed in getting or catching something before anyone else.

v. to succeed in securing, catching, or claiming something, often through quick action.

“I managed to bag a seat right at the front of the bus.”

“The company managed to bag a lucrative contract with the government despite stiff competition from larger firms.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

09to criticize

C1 · Advanced Slang · Dialect

v. to say mean or critical things about someone.

v. to criticize or mock someone in a harsh or sarcastic manner.

“Stop bagging him just because he made one small mistake.”

“The local press spent the entire week bagging the team's performance after their unexpected loss in the finals.”

Teaching tip

This sense is specific to Australian and New Zealand English; learners should use 'criticize' in other regions.

Antonyms

Real-World Examples

“With more cities, states and countries banning single-use plastic bags, paper has become a popular alternative at the grocery checkout.”
The New York Times 24 Mar 2025
“A ban on single-use plastic and paper bags in grocery stores had an unintended effect: Delivery services switched to heavy, reusable sacks —lots of them.”
The New York Times 1 Sept 2022

Etymology

From Old Norse baggi ("bag, pack, satchel, bundle"), which also supplied Old French bague ("bundle, package, sack"). The Old Norse is related to bǫggr ("harm, shame; load, burden"), though the ultimate origin remains uncertain.

Inherited from Middle English bagge.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

ADJECTIVE

Related words

Idioms

Domains

MathematicsMedicineNautical

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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