sandbagging

noun5

1. •
   The act or process of filling and laying sandbags, such as before a storm in anticipation of flooding.
2. •
   (figurative) Hiding the full strength, skill, or difficulty of something or someone early in an engagement, in order to gain an advantage.

   • FIDE has slapped a former Chinese chess prodigy, Li Haoyu, with a ban for what the global governing body of chess termed “sandbagging at chess competitions” in a report published on their website …. — 2025
3. •
   The act of bringing a claim for breach of a covenant or misrepresentation even though the person bringing the claim knew about the issue before closing the transaction and did it anyway.

   • In the United States, sandbagging is a matter of state law, and the state laws are inconsistent on the matter. — 2023
4. •
   The striking of a person with a sandbag or other heavy object.
5. •
   Serving premade food, such as precooked appetizers that need only reheating.