swath

noun

ˈswäth 

ˈswȯth

variants or swathe

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h 

1

a

: a row of cut grain or grass left by a scythe or mowing machine

b

: the sweep of a scythe or a machine in mowing or the path cut in one course

2

: a long broad strip or belt

3

: a stroke of or as if of a scythe

4

: a space devastated as if by a scythe

Examples of swath in a Sentence

An aerial view of the countryside shows wide swathes of green.

He cut a swath through the field with his scythe.

Recent Examples on the Web

The popularity of indoor climbing has helped to make the sport more accessible to a broader swath of the American population, injecting new diversity into an activity that had long been the domain of young white men. —Kelli María Korducki, HubSpot, 17 Oct. 2025

When torrential rains hit a swath of Mexico last week, the Cazones River swelled so fast there was virtually no time to flee. —Cristopher Rogel Blanquet, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

Large swaths of Gaza have been flattened by Israeli bombardment, and roughly 92% of housing in Gaza has been destroyed or damaged, according to the latest United Nations figures released Thursday. —Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025

Trials are conducted on only a small swath of the population that may ultimately receive a treatment, however. —Harsh Gupta, Time, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English swæth footstep, trace; akin to Middle High German swade swath

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for swath

• broth
• cloth
• doth
• froth
• goth
• loth
• moth
• wroth
• broadcloth
• cheesecloth
• loincloth
• neckcloth

Kids Definition

swath

noun

ˈswäth 

ˈswȯth

variants or swathe

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h

1

a

: the sweep of a scythe or machine in mowing or the path cut in one course

b

: a row of cut grain or grass

2

: a long broad strip or belt

3

: a space destroyed as if by a mowing machine