Illustration of swan
- swan 1
plural swans
1
plural also swan
: any of various large heavy-bodied long-necked mostly pure white aquatic birds (family Anatidae, especially genus Cygnus) that have webbed feet and are related to but larger than the geese
2
: one that resembles or is likened to a swan
3
capitalized
: the constellation Cygnus
Examples of swan in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2025
Orpheus, unwilling to have anything to do with women again, chooses to become a swan in his next life, while a swan decides to become a man.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Neda Ulaby, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
The music video, in which Tay swans around a Malibu mansion in a pastel two-piece, was more controversial.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for swan
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Noun
The real reason is to wreak as much havoc as humanly possible, or at least that’s what we’re given to believe from the way the hostess swans about while deftly manipulating dozens of puppet strings simultaneously.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2025
Orpheus, unwilling to have anything to do with women again, chooses to become a swan in his next life, while a swan decides to become a man.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
They're led by a glamorous male mad scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, who swans about in a glittering corset and heels.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
The music video, in which Tay swans around a Malibu mansion in a pastel two-piece, was more controversial.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for swan
Cite this Entry
“Swan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swan. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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