exchanged

Exchanged is the past tense and past participle of the verb exchange. It denotes that something has been swapped, traded, or shared between parties, or that information or positions have been transferred from one side to another. In active use, exchanged typically takes a direct object: for example, they exchanged gifts, ideas, or emails. In passive constructions, it appears as was exchanged or have been exchanged, as in data was exchanged between departments or remarks have been exchanged during the meeting.

As an adjective, exchanged can describe items that have undergone a swap or sharing. Common phrases include exchanged documents or exchanged proposals, where the emphasis is on the fact that the items have been swapped or circulated between participants rather than merely held by one party.

Usage notes: exchange is a regular verb, so exchanged follows standard conjugation rules: exchanged, exchanging, exchanges. The term is widely used across contexts such as commerce, diplomacy, information technology, and everyday communication. While exchange often refers to currency or goods, exchanged can apply to tangible items, information, ideas, or agreements that have passed between parties.

Etymology: exchanged derives from the verb exchange, which originates from Old French eschangier, a historical form of the word meaning to swap or substitute. The English form has retained this sense of mutual transfer through various compounds and usages over time.

See also: exchange, exchange rate, information exchange, currency exchange, student exchange.