side·swipe
ˈsīd-ˌswīp 
sideswiped; sideswiping; sideswipes
: to strike with a glancing blow along the side
sideswiped a parked car
1
a
: the action of sideswiping
b
: an instance of sideswiping : a glancing blow
2
: an incidental deprecatory remark, allusion, or reference
Examples of sideswipe in a Sentence
Verb
The taxi sideswiped a parked car.
Noun
She took a sideswipe at the senator's voting record.
Recent Examples on the Web
Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Authorities allege Brumley was behind the wheel of a southbound Mitsubishi sedan that sideswiped a northbound sports utility vehicle.
—David Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Apr. 2026
Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2025
Electrons in the magnetic field sideswipe oxygen atoms or nitrogen molecules in the Earth's atmosphere.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sideswipe
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Verb
The California Highway Patrol said a Mitsubishi sedan heading south sideswiped a BMW SUV heading north and then collided head-on with a Toyota sedan that was behind the BMW.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Authorities allege Brumley was behind the wheel of a southbound Mitsubishi sedan that sideswiped a northbound sports utility vehicle.
—David Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
If Knives Out and Glass Onion were sideswipes at the anti-immigrant right and Silicon Valley fascists, respectively, Wake Up Dead Man is Rian Johnson taking dead aim at Trump and his band of hard-liners.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2025
Electrons in the magnetic field sideswipe oxygen atoms or nitrogen molecules in the Earth's atmosphere.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sideswipe
Cite this Entry
“Sideswipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideswipe. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sideswipe
1 of 2 verb
side·swipe
-ˌswīp
: to hit along the side with a blow that bounces off at an angle
sideswiped a parked car
sideswipe
2 of 2 noun1
: an instance of sideswiping : a blow from an angle that bounces off
2
: an indirectly related disapproving remark, allusion, or reference
a sideswipe at the senator's voting record
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