What does blag mean?
'Blag' is a distinctly British informal verb meaning to obtain something — access, tickets, favours, information — through confident talk, charm, or sheer nerve rather than genuine entitlement. Someone who blags their way backstage hasn't bought a ticket; they've talked themselves past the door. The word carries connotations of cheekiness and resourcefulness more than dishonesty in its everyday sense, though it can shade into deception. In older British criminal slang, 'blag' also meant to carry out a robbery, especially an audacious one involving impersonation or force, and as a noun it can refer either to an act of successful wheedling or to such a heist. The etymology is uncertain, though a link to the French 'blague' — meaning both a bag and a joke or tall tale — has often been suggested. For learners, 'blag' is a vivid addition to the vocabulary of getting ahead on wit alone, sitting alongside cousins like 'wangle', 'cadge', and 'scrounge'.
To obtain something by persuasive talk, charm, or bluffing rather than by right or payment; (dated criminal slang) to commit a robbery, especially an audacious one.
"He blagged his way past reception by claiming to be from the IT department."
Almost always informal; the robbery sense will be unfamiliar to many speakers.
An act of obtaining something by cheeky persuasion, or (dated British criminal slang) an armed robbery carried out with boldness or deception.
"Getting backstage was pure blag — nobody asked him for a pass."
Less common than the verb.
Standard plural; used mainly for instances of blagging or, in dated criminal slang, robberies.
"His blags usually involved nothing more dangerous than a borrowed hi-vis vest."
In British slang, 'blag' can mean everything from sweet-talking your way past security to pulling off an armed robbery — context does a lot of work here.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blag
The origin of 'blag' is genuinely obscure, which is unusual for such a lively modern word. It emerged in British English in the twentieth century, with the robbery sense recorded in mid-century criminal slang before the softer 'talk your way in' sense became dominant. A frequently proposed source is the French 'blague', which can mean a tall story or joke as well as a pouch or bag, but this connection is not firmly established, and lexicographers generally label the word's derivation uncertain.
How blag is actually used
Strongly informal and chiefly British; the 'heist' sense is dated criminal slang and may puzzle some listeners, so register and audience matter.
Easily confused with blag
'Bag' means to secure or capture something, while 'blag' specifically implies obtaining it through smooth talk, bluffing, or cheek rather than straightforward effort.