swatch

noun \ ˈswäch \

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

Examples: swatch in a Sentence

Definition of swatch

1 a : a sample piece (as of fabric) or a collection of samples

b : a characteristic specimen

2 : patch

3 : a small collection

4 : swath 2

See swatch defined for English-language learners

See swatch defined for kids

Examples of swatch in a Sentence

She looked at fabric swatches to select material for the drapes.

Recent Examples of swatch from the Web

With all the colors, swatches to try, and tools to play with, walking into Sephora is basically the beauty equivalent of going to Disneyland.

— zoe weiner, Glamour, "Sephora Announces Its First Beauty Convention, Sephoria: House of Beauty," 4 June 2018
Reina and Ferolla’s desks face each other; both are stacked with sheafs of sketches, paper samples and swatches of fabric.

— chiara barzini, New York Times, "The Secret Atelier Behind a Roman Boutique," 16 May 2018
There’s no way for the casual observer to know those swatches are actually the torn canvas of a painting that illustrated a dark episode in James’ life.

— natalie pompilio, Philly.com, "This Moore student uses her fashion designs to cope with PTSD and the effects of abuse," 8 May 2018
Judging by the swatches, the glosses look perfect for layering over a bold color or worn alone — they're pigmented enough to take center stage, and subtle enough to play a supporting role.

— marissa miller, Teen Vogue, "CoverGirl Launches New Melting Pout Holographic Lip Glosses," 2 Apr. 2018
In a separate video showing off the swatches, the deepest shade looks a bit like a more bronze version of Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector in Chocolate Geode ($38).

— macaela mackenzie, Allure, "KKW Beauty Is Launching Two Buttery Highlighter Palettes This Week — and Wow, They're Shiny," 21 May 2018
That painting depicts a shadow-cast swatch of yellow wallpaper decorated with a repeating pattern of armed soldiers and military planes and tanks.

— susan dunne, courant.com, "'Dressed In Shadow' Exhibit Examines Children's Gender Perceptions," 12 May 2018
Cotton swatches, for example, after being dyed, are conditioned overnight in a machine that exposes them to D65 light and a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit at 50 percent humidity.

— bruce falconer, New York Times, "What Is the Perfect Color Worth?," 28 Feb. 2018
For the best perspective, Brown suggests poking a hole in a piece of white paper, holding the paint swatch behind it, then looking at the color through the hole.

— kim fusaro, Woman's Day, "10 Most Common Home Decorating Don'ts," 11 Mar. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swatch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.