swing shift
noun
1
: the work shift between the day and night shifts (as from 4 p.m. to midnight)
2
: a group of workers in a factory operating seven days a week that work as needed to permit the regular shift workers to have one or more free days per week
Examples of swing shift in a Sentence
He works the swing shift.
Recent Examples on the Web
To reduce firefighter fatigue and maintain progress on the White Sage Fire, some crews on the north and south flanks of the wildfire were expected to transition from swing shifts to nighttime operations beginning July 17.
—
Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 17 July 2025
Those on the day shift work from 6 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Those on the swing shift work from noon to 10:30 p.m.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2024
The swing shift is about to start at a plant that is about to close.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024
For her work, cleaning rooms on the swing shift—between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m.—Mendez makes $21 an hour, and rarely gets tips.
—Irina Ivanova, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2023
One Hearthside worker, Carolina Yoc, 15, described a grueling schedule of juggling school and eight-hour swing shifts each day, working to nearly midnight packaging Cheerios.
—Hannah Dreier, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Feb. 2023
One Hearthside worker, Carolina Yoc, 15, described a grueling schedule of juggling school and eight-hour swing shifts packaging Cheerios each day.
—Hannah Dreier, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2023
His late father used to work swing shifts at a power station.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 17 July 2025
Those on the day shift work from 6 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Those on the swing shift work from noon to 10:30 p.m.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2024
The swing shift is about to start at a plant that is about to close.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024
For her work, cleaning rooms on the swing shift—between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m.—Mendez makes $21 an hour, and rarely gets tips.
—Irina Ivanova, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2023
One Hearthside worker, Carolina Yoc, 15, described a grueling schedule of juggling school and eight-hour swing shifts each day, working to nearly midnight packaging Cheerios.
—Hannah Dreier, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Feb. 2023
One Hearthside worker, Carolina Yoc, 15, described a grueling schedule of juggling school and eight-hour swing shifts packaging Cheerios each day.
—Hannah Dreier, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2023
His late father used to work swing shifts at a power station.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Swing shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swing%20shift. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share