Word
sandbags
Phoneticssand·bags, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsændˌbæɡz/
UK/sˈændbæɡz/
Countable noun
Definition
n. bags filled with sand that you stack to block flood water or to protect people from shooting and blasts.
n. bags filled with sand or soil, stacked to form temporary barriers against flooding, gunfire, or blast damage.
Examples
“Volunteers stack sandbags along the river bank.”
“Residents pile sandbags against their doors before the storm pushes the river over its banks.”
“After the levee cracked, soldiers worked through the night, reinforcing the weak section with thousands of sandbags hauled in by truck.”
Examples
simple
“Volunteers stack sandbags along the river bank.”
contextual
“Residents pile sandbags against their doors before the storm pushes the river over its banks.”
complex
“After the levee cracked, soldiers worked through the night, reinforcing the weak section with thousands of sandbags hauled in by truck.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sandbags” in context.
Verb
01. fill sandbags
“Residents rushed to fill sandbags before the flood arrived.”
verb + noun
02. hide behind sandbags
“The soldiers hid behind sandbags during the attack.”
verb + prep + noun
03. place sandbags
“Shopkeepers placed sandbags outside their doors to block water.”
verb + noun
04. sandbags burst
“One of the old sandbags burst and spilled sand everywhere.”
noun + verb
05. sandbags hold back
“The sandbags held back the water long enough for everyone to leave.”
noun + verb + particle
06. stack sandbags
“They worked all night to stack sandbags along the riverbank.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. heavy sandbags
“Volunteers struggled to lift the heavy sandbags onto the truck.”
adj + noun
08. leaking sandbags
“We replaced the leaking sandbags before the river rose again.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. line of sandbags
“A line of sandbags stretched along the entire street.”
noun + prep + noun
10. row of sandbags
“They laid a row of sandbags across the garage doorway.”
noun + prep + noun
11. build a wall of sandbags
“Neighbours helped build a wall of sandbags around the school.”
12. hold back floods with sandbags
“The village held back the floods with sandbags and pumps.”
Real-World Examples
“Businesses in popular tourist destinations like Puerto Vallarta boarded up windows and placed sandbags at entrances as the storm approached.” “Moises Villasenor, 72, said he was "a little worried" as he filled sandbags to protect his small hotel, situated about three blocks from the seafront.” “Long Beach officials have provided about 11,000 sandbags for the storm to protect homes from the rising tide.” “People could help prepare for floods by moving "the good stuff upstairs" and making sure they had sandbags to hand ahead of bad weather, he said.” Related words
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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