The difference between Barter and Swap

When used as nouns, barter means an exchange of goods or services without the use of money, whereas swap means an exchange of two comparable things.

When used as verbs, barter means to exchange goods or services without involving money, whereas swap means to exchange or give (something) in an exchange (for something else).


check bellow for the other definitions of Barter and Swap

  1. Barter as a noun:

    An exchange of goods or services without the use of money.

    Examples:

    "We had no money so we had to live by barter."

  2. Barter as a noun:

    The goods or services used in such an exchange.

    Examples:

    "The man used his watch as barter to pay for his tab."

  1. Barter as a verb (transitive, intransitive):

    To exchange goods or services without involving money.

    Examples:

    "She bartered a bonsai for one of the rare books in my library."

    "You may be able to barter for some of the items you need at the local market."

  1. Swap as a verb (transitive):

    To exchange or give (something) in an exchange (for something else).

    Examples:

    "synonyms exchange switch trade"

  2. Swap as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To hit, to strike.

  3. Swap as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To beat the air, or ply the wings, with a sweeping motion or noise; to flap.

  4. Swap as a verb (intransitive, obsolete):

    To descend or fall; to rush hastily or violently.

  1. Swap as a noun:

    An exchange of two comparable things.

    Examples:

    "quote-book lang=1819 w Sir Walter Scott w Tales of My Landlord section=The Bride of Lammermoor passage=I e’en changed it, as occasion served, with the skippers o’ Dutch luggers and French vessels, for gin and brandy... a gude swap too, between what cheereth the soul of man and that which dingeth it clean out of his body"

  2. Swap as a noun (finance):

    A financial derivative in which two parties agree to exchange one stream of cashflow against another stream.

  3. Swap as a noun (computing, informal, uncountable):

    Space available in a swap file for use as auxiliary memory.

    Examples:

    "How much swap do you need?"

  1. Swap as a noun (obsolete, UK, dialect):

    A blow; a stroke.