swoop

1 of 2

verb

ˈswüp 

swooped; swooping; swoops

intransitive verb

: to move with a sweep

transitive verb

: to gain or carry off in or as if in a swoop

—usually used with up

swooper noun

swoop

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or instance of swooping

2

: a single concentrated and quickly effective effort

was done in one swoop

—often used with fell

solved everything at one fell swoop

Examples of swoop in a Sentence

Verb

The police swooped in and captured the criminals.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

This is where governments can swoop in, says Christophe Williams, cofounder and CEO of solar technology startup Naked Energy. —Riddhi Kanetkar, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025

According to CamelCamelCamel, an Amazon price-tracking website, this is the lowest price the V9 Motorbar has ever seen, which makes now the perfect time to swoop one up before they’re gone. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2025

Noun

Almost 800 people turned out last fall, raising $100,000 in one swoop. —Nick Stern, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025

In an entry hall, kites overhead, frozen mid-swoop, are by Yinka Shonibare, a Nigerian Brit who works in batik as a prod at colonialism. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of Middle English swopen to sweep, from Old English swāpan — more at sweep

First Known Use

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing swoop

• in/at one fell swoop

Rhymes for swoop

• coop
• coupe
• croup
• droop
• drupe
• dupe
• group
• hoop
• loop
• lupe
• oop
• poop

Kids Definition

swoop

1 of 2 verb

ˈswüp 

: to dive or pounce suddenly like a hawk on its prey

swoop

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of swooping

2

: a single quickly effective effort

—often used with fell

solved everything at one fell swoop