# sandbags

/ˈsændˌbæɡz/ (US) · /sˈændbæɡz/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sandbags
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

bags filled with sand that you stack to block flood water or to protect people from shooting and blasts.

For teachers: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.