swath

noun

ˈswäth 

ˈswȯth

variants or swathe

ˈswät͟h 

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

The hiring cooldown hit a wide swath of industries, including manufacturing and the federal government. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025

National parks help protect wide swaths of public access to these popular destinations and the affordability of visiting them for generations to come. —Jeffrey C. Hallo, The Conversation, 4 Sep. 2025

John Tufts Large swaths of the Midwest are expected to have vibrant fall leaves in 2025, according to an early forecast by AccuWeather. —John Tufts, IndyStar, 4 Sep. 2025

But the Romans repeatedly defeated the Carthaginians, and by 146 BCE the great city of Carthage was sacked and destroyed, leaving the Romans in control of a vast swath of the Mediterranean coastline, including many territories that had once been under Carthaginian control. —Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for swath

• broth
• cloth
• doth
• froth
• goth
• loth
• moth
• wroth
• broadcloth
• cheesecloth
• loincloth
• neckcloth

Kids Definition

swath

noun

ˈswäth 

ˈswȯth

variants or swathe

ˈswät͟h 

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