Synonyms of trades

trades 1 of 2

noun

plural of trade

1

as in exchanges

a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another

when the other team unexpectedly offered to hand over its top pitcher for our star shortstop, our coach agreed to the trade

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exchanges
• swaps
• dealings
• trucks
• barters
• dickers
• deals
• commutations
• trade-offs
• transactions
• bargains
• quid pro quos
• substitutions
• negotiations
• replacements
• back-and-forths
• reciprocations
• horse trades
• recompenses
• logrollings
• requitals

2

as in crafts

an occupation requiring skillful use of the hands

a youth eager to learn the trade of cabinetmaking

Synonyms & Similar Words

• crafts
• arts
• skills
• handicrafts
• handcrafts
• occupations
• professions
• métiers
• vocations
• callings

3

as in professions

the activity by which one regularly makes a living

writing is my trade

Synonyms & Similar Words

• professions
• occupations
• vocations
• works
• employments
• lines
• callings
• games
• jobs
• lays
• tasks
• positions
• missions
• businesses
• livelihoods
• assignments
• places
• arts
• enterprises
• crafts
• calls
• situations
• duties
• gigs
• fields
• offices
• handicrafts
• lifeworks
• engagements
• livings
• functions
• appointments
• loads
• rackets
• métiers
• handcrafts
• billets
• posts
• berths
• workloads

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pursuits
• hobbies
• avocations

4

as in sales

the transfer of ownership of something from one person to another for a price

the trade of all of her holdings in the company just before the stock plunged in value immediately aroused suspicions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sales
• transactions
• deals
• purchases
• auctions
• negotiations
• bargains
• buys
• steals
• clearances
• fairs
• silent auctions
• haggles
• fire sales
• closeouts
• garage sales
• yard sales
• tag sales
• rummage sales
• jumble sales

trades

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of trade

1

as in deals

to carry on the business of buying and selling goods or other property

the U.S. agreed to trade with China

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deals
• sells
• negotiates
• exchanges
• swaps
• smuggles
• traffics
• purchases
• bargains
• auctions
• barters
• transacts
• markets
• buys
• merchandises
• supplies
• retails
• resells
• horse-trades
• fences
• wholesales
• black-markets
• invests
• corners
• distributes
• peddles
• takes
• fair-trades
• rebuys
• monopolizes
• picks up
• engrosses
• speculates
• day-trades
• vends
• undersells
• bootlegs

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blacks
• boycotts
• blackballs

2

as in swaps

to give up (something) and take something else in return

I'll trade my chocolate chip cookie for your bag of chips

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exchanges
• swaps
• substitutes
• changes
• switches
• shifts
• replaces
• commutes
• interchanges
• supersedes
• displaces
• yields
• surrenders
• reciprocates
• hands over
• cedes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of trades

Noun

The region has a deep history of steel, manufacturing, construction and skilled trades. — Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026

The report found that 84% of students agree that working in the trades deserves respect, Harlow said. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

The percentage of those in the trades 5 years after completing an apprenticeship or postsecondary education drops to 29% and 34% respectively. — Itzel Franco, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

The project was endorsed this week by the trades council and the Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce. — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

From healthcare, information technology and construction to advanced manufacturing, entrepreneurship, the military and skilled trades, our region needs talent. — Shanaysha Sauls, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026

During that time, Doncic has become a father to two daughters and changed teams in one of the league’s most shocking trades ever. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026

Verb

The tech giant vowed to publish its energy and water use annually, and spend more than $1 billion over five years on free community college, trades training, and home energy-efficiency upgrades in data center counties. — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Bernstein reiterated its Buy rating and $700 price target and even Morgan Stanley’s reduced $563 target sits about 10% above where the stock trades today. — Tony Zhang, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026

No region in the world trades less with itself than Latin America and the Caribbean. — Dan Restrepo, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

This faux chili berry wreath trades the usual suspects for petite burgundy and pink berries and chartreuse leaves. — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 28 Sep. 2026

The standout is the LS7500, which trades standard optics for a short-throw lens designed to deliver massive visuals in tighter spaces. — New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026

The new adaptation, written by Will Power and Doug Wright from George Abbott and Wallop’s original book, moves the action to the early 2000s and trades the original musical’s Washington Senators for the Baltimore Orioles. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026

Every wrapped stock that trades successfully today, and every charter proving regulated money movement can run through a single federal structure, makes the case for native issuance easier to make tomorrow. — Ivan Kan, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

The journey then trades desert for mountains, continuing into Colorado’s San Juan Mountains for hiking, horseback riding, and hot springs. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2026