Carpetbagged

/ˈkɑːrpɪtbæɡd/ verb

Definition

Past tense of carpetbag; engaged in carpetbagging, or made a sudden entrance into a place or situation for personal gain.

Etymology

From carpetbag used as a verb, originating in American political history from the noun carpetbag.

Kelly Says

This word perfectly captures a specific moment in American history—it's literally frozen language from the 1860s Reconstruction era when outsiders cynically exploited war-torn regions!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.