grab bag

noun

1

: a receptacle (such as a bag) containing small articles which are to be drawn (as at a party or fair) without being seen

2

: a miscellaneous collection : potpourri

Synonyms

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

Examples of grab bag in a Sentence

Congress has proposed a grab bag of tax cuts.

the festival featured a grab bag of independent films from widely disparate genres

Recent Examples on the Web

While some easy parallels can be drawn between this grab bag of famous names — Chesney and Buffett shared a close friendship, for example, as do Osbourne and Slash — feel free to have some fun in the comments about an amusing pair that could strain credulity. —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2024

At the time, federal law gave the Bureau a strange grab bag of investigative duties, ranging from interstate prostitution to antitrust violations. —Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024

And for stocking stuffers and grab bag gifts, the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion and Dearfoams slippers Oprah recently praised are under $25. —Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024

He’s got to give a bio-musical performance, which means broadcasting, in quick succession, a series of emotional peaks and valleys, via what can feel like a grab bag of historical trivia, all encased in restrictive mythos. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1