Sack — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈsak/

Meaning & Definition of Sack

Sack (noun)

  1. a usually rectangular-shaped bag (as of paper, burlap, or canvas)
  2. the amount contained in a sack; especially, a fixed amount of a commodity used as a unit of measure
  3. a woman's loose-fitting dress
  4. any of several white wines imported to England from Spain and the Canary Islands during the 16th and 17th centuries
  5. the plundering of a captured town

Sack (verb)

  1. to put in or as if in a sack
  2. to dismiss especially summarily
  3. to tackle (the quarterback) behind the line of scrimmage in football
  4. to plunder (a place, such as a town) especially after capture
  5. to strip of valuables, loot

Sack (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a container made of a flexible material (as paper or plastic)

    "asked the bagger to put all the loaves of bread in the same sack"

    similar: bag, poke (chiefly Southern & Midland), pouch
    related: carryall, portmanteau, traveling bag, wallet, bundle, pack, package, packet, parcel, backpack, barracks bag, duffel bag, haversack, knapsack, rucksack, satchel, tote, handbag, pocketbook, purse, tote bag, ditty bag, flight bag, garment bag, kit bag, shopping bag, work bag

  2. a place set aside for sleeping

    "I think I'm ready to hit the sack"

    similar: bed, bunk, doss (chiefly British), hay (slang), kip, lair (British dialect), pad, rack
    related: bedstead, futon, mattress, pallet, bunk bed, cot, couch, daybed, feather bed, four-poster, hammock, Murphy bed, shakedown, sleigh bed, sofa, sofa bed, studio couch, trundle bed, water bed, bassinet, carry-cot (British), cradle, crib

Sack (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to let go from office, service, or employment

    "he was sacked for showing up late once too often"

    similar: ax, bounce, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, terminate, turn off, send packing, show (someone) the door
    related: downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim, boot (out), chuck (out), drum (out), kick out, throw out, unseat, separate
    opposite: employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on
    near: keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit

  2. to search through with the intent of committing robbery

    "thieves sacked the house in search of the diamond necklace"

    similar: despoil, loot, maraud, pillage, plunder, ransack
    related: break in, burglarize, rip off, steal (from), comb, hunt, rake, rifle, rummage, harry, raid, ravish

Related Entry: Sack out (verb)

Sack out is a different word from Sack. The synonyms below are for sack out, not for sack.

  1. as in turn in, kip (down)

    similar: bed (down), couch, doss (down) (chiefly British), flop, kip (down) (British), retire, turn in, catnap, conk (off or out), doze, drop off, nap, nod, rest, sleep, slumber, snooze, lie up, sleep in, oversleep
    opposite: arouse, awake, awaken, rouse, wake, waken, arise, get up, rise, roll out, turn out, uprise, watch

Related Entry: Hit the hay (phrase)

Hit the hay is a different word from Sack. The synonyms below are for hit the hay, not for sack.

  1. to go to one's bed in order to sleep

    "It's been a great evening, but I'm ready to hit the hay."

    similar: bed, crash (slang), doss (down) (chiefly British), retire, turn in
    related: bunk, perch, roost, settle, doze, drop off, nap, nod, sleep, slumber, snooze, couch, lie (down), recline
    opposite: arise, get up, rise, uprise
    near: arouse, awake, awaken, rouse, wake, waken, bestir, stir, reawake, reawaken, shift

Related Entry: Hits the hay (phrase)

Hits the hay is a different word from Sack. The synonyms below are for hits the hay, not for sack.

  1. to go to one's bed in order to sleep

    "It's been a great evening, but I'm ready to hit the hay."

    similar: beds, crashes (slang), dosses (down) (chiefly British), retires, turns in
    related: bunks, perches, roosts, settles, dozes, drops off, naps, nods, sleeps, slumbers, snoozes, couches, lies (down), reclines
    opposite: arises, gets up, rises, uprises
    near: arouses, awakens, awakes, rouses, wakens, wakes, bestirs, stirs, reawakens, reawakes, shifts

Related Entry: Hitting the hay (phrase)

Hitting the hay is a different word from Sack. The synonyms below are for hitting the hay, not for sack.

  1. to go to one's bed in order to sleep

    "It's been a great evening, but I'm ready to hit the hay."

    similar: bedding, crashing (slang), dossing (down) (chiefly British), retiring, turning in
    related: bunking, perching, roosting, settling, dozing, dropping off, napping, nodding, sleeping, slumbering, snoozing, couching, lying (down), reclining
    opposite: arising, getting up, rising, uprising
    near: arousing, awakening, awaking, rousing, wakening, waking, bestirring, stirring, reawakening, reawaking, shifting

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sack

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sack:

Chiefly Southern & Midland: poke
Chiefly British: doss
Slang: hay
British dialect: lair
bag, pouch, bed, bunk, kip, pad, rack, ax, bounce, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, terminate, turn off, send packing, show (someone) the door, despoil, loot, maraud, pillage, plunder, ransack

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sack

Words with the opposite meaning of Sack:

employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on

Related Words for Sack

carryall, portmanteau, traveling bag, wallet, bundle, pack, package, packet, parcel, backpack, barracks bag, duffel bag, haversack, knapsack, rucksack, satchel, tote, handbag, pocketbook, purse, tote bag, ditty bag, flight bag, garment bag, kit bag, shopping bag, work bag, bedstead, futon, mattress

Near Antonyms of Sack

keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit

Word Forms of Sack

Inflections: sacked, sacking, sacks

Derived words: sackful (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Sack

Middle English sak bag, sackcloth, from Old English sacc, from Latin saccus bag & Late Latin saccus sackcloth, both from Greek sakkos bag, sackcloth, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew śaq bag, sackcloth

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Sack

sack coat, sack out, sack race, croker sack, sad sack

Frequently Asked Questions about Sack

What does "Sack" mean?

"Sack" means a usually rectangular-shaped bag (as of paper, burlap, or canvas). As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a usually rectangular-shaped bag (as of paper, burlap, or canvas). It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Sack"?

Other words for "Sack" include bag, poke, pouch, bed, bunk, doss, hay and kip. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sack" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sack"?

There are 107 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sack". Common alternatives include bag, poke, pouch, bed, bunk, doss, hay, kip, lair and pad.

What is the opposite of "Sack"?

Antonyms of "Sack" include employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on) and take on. Near antonyms include keep, reemploy, rehire and contract.

How do you use "Sack" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sack" in a sentence: "asked the bagger to put all the loaves of bread in the same sack"; "I think I'm ready to hit the sack"; "he was sacked for showing up late once too often".

Is "Sack" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sack" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Sack"?

"Sack" is pronounced /ˈsak/.

What is the origin of the word "Sack"?

"Sack" comes from Middle English sak bag, sackcloth, from Old English sacc, from Latin saccus bag & Late Latin saccus sackcloth, both from Greek sakkos bag, sackcloth, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew śaq bag, sackcloth. First known use: before 12th century.