Meaning & use
exchange
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
An occasion when two people or groups hand over something to each other, such as goods, words or information.
Grammar: Countable for one occasion (a heated exchange); uncountable for the general idea (exchange of ideas).
Patterns
- an exchange of something
- an exchange between people
- in exchange for something
The two countries agreed to an exchange of prisoners.
There was a short, angry exchange between the drivers.
A free exchange of ideas is the heart of a good seminar.
verbtransitive
To give something to someone and receive something similar from them in return.
Grammar: Takes an object: exchange gifts; often followed by for or with.
Patterns
- exchange something for something
- exchange something with someone
- exchange something
We exchanged phone numbers before leaving the party.
She exchanged her dollars for euros at the airport.
The neighbors exchange house keys in case of emergencies.
nouncountablefinance
A place or system where things such as currency, shares or goods are bought and sold.
Grammar: Often part of a compound: stock exchange, foreign exchange.
Patterns
- the stock exchange
- foreign exchange
Shares in the company began trading on the stock exchange last week.
The exchange rate changes every few minutes.
A telephone exchange once connected every call in town by hand.
nouncountable
A program in which students or workers spend a period living and studying or working in another country or school.
Grammar: Often used before another noun: an exchange student, an exchange program.
Patterns
- on an exchange
- an exchange program
Maria came to our school on a one-year exchange.
He applied for an exchange program with a university in Japan.
Our exchange student taught us how to cook paella.
Word forms
| plural | exchanges |
|---|---|
| third person singular | exchanges |
| past tense | exchanged |
| past participle | exchanged |
| -ing form | exchanging |
Common combinations
- in exchange for
- He gave them his old laptop in exchange for a bicycle.
- exchange rate
- The exchange rate was poor, so we waited to change money.
- exchange glances
- The sisters exchanged glances but said nothing.
- heated exchange
- A heated exchange broke out over the parking space.
- exchange student
- Our exchange student arrived from Brazil in September.
- exchange pleasantries
- They exchanged pleasantries at the door.
Synonyms and how they differ
- swap
- Swap is the casual everyday word for trading one item for another, whereas exchange also suits formal and abstract contexts.
- trade
- Trade usually suggests commerce or bargaining, while exchange can be simple and friendly, like exchanging gifts.
- interchange
- Interchange means switching two things with each other or a two-way flow, and sounds more technical than exchange.
- conversation
- A conversation is a general talk, while an exchange is typically a short back-and-forth, often tense.
Opposites
Word family
- exchangeable adjective
- able to be swapped for something else
- exchanger noun
- a person or device that exchanges, as in a heat exchanger
- interchange noun
- a mutual swap, or a road junction
- exchequer noun
- a government treasury; a distant relative of the same root
Commonly confused: exchange or change? exchange or replace?
exchange vs change
Change usually means to make or become different, while exchange means to hand something over and receive another thing in return.
exchange vs replace
Replace means to put a new thing in the place of an old one; exchange needs a trade between two parties.
Practice
I'd like to exchange this jacket ___ a larger size.
Choose one answer.
We exchange one item for another. With is used for the person you swap things with (exchange gifts with a friend); by and to do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exchange”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.