swath

noun

ˈswäth How to pronounce swath (audio)
ˈswȯth
variants or swathe
ˈswät͟h How to pronounce swath (audio)
ˈswȯt͟h,
ˈswāt͟h
1
a
: a row of cut grain or grass left by a scythe or mowing machine
b
: the sweep of a scythe or a machine in mowing or the path cut in one course
2
: a long broad strip or belt
3
: a stroke of or as if of a scythe
4
: a space devastated as if by a scythe

Examples of swath in a Sentence

An aerial view of the countryside shows wide swathes of green. He cut a swath through the field with his scythe.
Recent Examples on the Web For years, the coyote has been spotted across a wide swath of Twentynine Palms, including the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center — which employs much of the town’s population — and the outskirts of Joshua Tree. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 An estimated 300,000 Palestinians remain in the north, which has been reduced to large swaths of rubble by Israeli air and ground strikes. Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 In an interview after the panel, Mr. Cotton talked about one of housing’s most divisive subjects: single-family zoning, or laws that ban duplexes and apartments in certain neighborhoods and now define suburban character across large swaths of America. Conor Dougherty, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Authorities are warning of major water shortages across huge swaths of Mexico City until the rainy season begins in June and refills the reservoirs. Emily Green, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 Denis Volkov, director of the Levada Center, Russia’s only independent public opinion agency, says there’s been no good polling on Russians’ feelings about being excluded from big swaths of international sports. Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Mar. 2024 An invasive species’ origins Asian honey bees are native to a wide swath of Asia, from Afghanistan to Japan. Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024 The Smokehouse Creek Fire, burning between the towns of Canadian and Stinnett, was among several wild weather events Tuesday, including tornadoes in Illinois and a swath of record-high temperatures in the eastern half of the nation. USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2024 In the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, Israel's air, sea and ground campaign in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of people, obliterated large swaths of the urban landscape and displaced 80% of the battered enclave's population. Tia Goldenberg, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swath.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English swæth footstep, trace; akin to Middle High German swade swath

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of swath was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near swath

Cite this Entry

“Swath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swath. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

swath

noun
ˈswäth How to pronounce swath (audio)
ˈswȯth
variants or swathe
ˈswät͟h How to pronounce swath (audio)
ˈswȯt͟h,
ˈswāt͟h
1
a
: the sweep of a scythe or machine in mowing or the path cut in one course
b
: a row of cut grain or grass
2
: a long broad strip or belt
3
: a space destroyed as if by a mowing machine

More from Merriam-Webster on swath

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