swash 1 of 2

Definition of swashnext
1
as in to splash
to move with a splashing motion waves gently swashing against the shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to slosh
to cause (something liquid or mushy) to move along in sheets every bump in the road swashed a little more of my soda on the car's upholstery

Synonyms & Similar Words

swash

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of swash
Verb
Recurring character Goro Majima swashes his buckles as the sole protagonist, taking to the seas having suffered from an almighty case of pirate amnesia. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
Mole crabs burrow themselves in the intertidal swash zone but leave their antennae exposed above the surface to trap food like algae and plankton. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025 This cushiony highlighter deposits a swash of subtle champagne, rose quartz, or gold while the squalane (the secret star of the show) provides moisture for a long-lasting look that provides a skin-like, never cakey, finish. Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 5 Oct. 2024 The dessert menu is just as backward-looking (or, more generously, classic-minded) as the savory offerings: cheesecake with a swash of berry sauce, dark chocolate pot de crème. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 30 June 2024 Glow Set a travel necessity—perfect for quick makeup touch-ups, passing through TSA, or a shimmering swash of color. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2021 Hollywood’s history is rich with swash-buckling scenes. Allison Prang, WSJ, 22 Oct. 2021 Some big trout are still in the swash on the beach at dawn, though this action will slow as the water continues to warm—topwaters get them. Frank Sargeant, al, 18 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swash
Verb
  • The best time to water is early in the morning, so the blooms dry quickly if they are splashed by irrigation.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
  • Then festival goers can dive into a truly iconic surf experience with a community showing of the classic surf flick The Endless Summer splashed on a jumbo screen at Powerhouse Park Saturday night.
    Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2026
Noun
  • Eighty lines, one for each rainy season a composer might hope to enjoy in his lifetime, all washed away in a torrent.
    Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 13 June 2026
  • The people calling them to collect often endure a torrent of verbal abuse and threats of violence.
    Lily Boyce, New York Times, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Back then, New York was a city running on equal parts swagger and anxiety.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
  • Ford is sexy, full of posturing and swagger.
    Dave Schilling Contributing Follow, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • The pandemic dealt a severe blow to the total supply of new cars, which has rippled down to the used market.
    Robert Ferris, CNBC, 10 June 2026
  • The production generates periodic boisterous fun along the way through brisk staging, galvanizing projections and splashy costuming, plus a few entertaining performances rippling out of the cast in bigger and smaller roles.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • The archways are furnished with sluice gates that can open to allow excess water to pass through in periods of flooding.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
  • Some residents said the country club contribues to flooding by opening its sluice gate when rain is forecast.
    Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Wit and sass are sexy as Mercury and Jupiter harmonize.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 13 May 2026
  • Verbs can deliver the sass of a runway model and a good degree of brushoff.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Jurado said that pollution and turbidity in the spillway discharge is a concern, too.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 23 May 2026
  • Wallmakers needed to connect the two land parcels while keeping the foundation 100 ft within the spillway width, since a JCB excavator needed to be used for clearing the build space.
    Stefan Ionescu May 20, New Atlas, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • The closest the data center would be to Weston Gardens is 370 feet, said Riley, due to a wooded floodway and floodplain between the Black Mountain property and Weston’s.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Call it resilience, call it infrastructure, call it economic development—just build it before the next 8-year-old goes to sleep in a floodway.
    Daniel Lehewych, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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