What does "bagman" mean?
A person who collects, transports, or distributes illicit money, especially for the purpose of bribery, extortion, or the making of other improper payments.
Bagman
noun, slang
noun, slang ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who collects, transports, or distributes illicit money, especially for the purpose of bribery, extortion, or the making of other improper payments.
- Grammar: bagman is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bookmaker, commercial traveler, commercial traveller, roadman.
- Usage evidence: The accused are only the latest in a string of alleged bagmen, vote-riggers and ward-heelers charged with wrongdoing.
How to use "bagman"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bagman" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bagman" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bagman" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bagman" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bagman" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bookmaker" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bagman", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who collects, transports, or distributes illicit money, especially for the purpose of bribery, extortion, or the making of other improper payments. Australia, New-Zealand, US, informal
"The accused are only the latest in a string of alleged bagmen, vote-riggers and ward-heelers charged with wrongdoing."
- 2 a male racketeer assigned to collect or distribute payoff money wordnet
- 3 A caddy.
- 4 a salesman who travels to call on customers wordnet
- 5 A staff assistant to a senior police officer (such as a Detective Sergeant for a Detective Inspector). British, dated
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A secretary of (and keeper of equipment for) a Morris dancing side. British
- 7 A bookmaker. Australia, slang
- 8 A tramp, hobo. Australia, dated, slang
- 9 A travelling salesman. UK, dated, slang
- 10 An officer assigned to travel with the president and carry the "nuclear football". US, slang
"[…] in a locked metal suitcase carried on the President's travels by a warrant officer irreverently known as "the bagman.""
- 11 A prominent fundraiser for a political party or similar cause. Canada, informal
"2016, David Akin, "Tory 'bagman' boasts about party's bank account, Toronto Sun, 28 May, Proud to call himself the "bagman" of the Conservative Party, former senator Irving Gerstein boasted about the financial health of his party Friday."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The accused are only the latest in a string of alleged bagmen, vote-riggers and ward-heelers charged with wrongdoing."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bagman"?
Common synonyms include: bookmaker, commercial traveler, commercial traveller, roadman, traveling salesman, travelling salesman.
How do you use "bagman" in a sentence?
The accused are only the latest in a string of alleged bagmen, vote-riggers and ward-heelers charged with wrongdoing.
Etymology
From bag + -man.