sweep

1 of 2

verb

swept ˈswept How to pronounce sweep (audio) ; sweeping

transitive verb

1
a
: to remove from a surface with or as if with a broom or brush
swept the crumbs from the table
b
: to destroy completely : wipe out
usually used with away
everything she cherished, might be swept away overnightLouis Bromfield
c
: to remove or take with a single continuous forceful action
swept the books off the desk
d
: to remove from sight or consideration
the problem can't be swept under the rug
e
: to drive or carry along with irresistible force
a wave of protest that swept the opposition into office
2
a
: to clean with or as if with a broom or brush
b
: to clear by repeated and forcible action
c
: to move across or along swiftly, violently, or overwhelmingly
fire swept the business districtAmer. Guide Series: Md.
d
: to win an overwhelming victory in or on
sweep the elections
e
: to win all the games or contests of
sweep a double-header
sweep a series
3
: to touch in passing with a swift continuous movement
4
: to trace or describe the locus or extent of (something, such as a line, circle, or angle)
5
: to cover the entire range of
his eyes swept the horizon

intransitive verb

1
a
: to clean a surface with or as if with a broom
b
: to move swiftly, forcefully, or devastatingly
the wind swept through the treetops
2
: to go with stately or sweeping movements
proudly swept into the room
3
: to move or extend in a wide curve or range

sweep

2 of 2

noun

1
: something that sweeps or works with a sweeping motion: such as
a
: a long pole or timber pivoted on a tall post and used to raise and lower a bucket in a well
b
: a triangular cultivator blade that cuts off weeds under the soil surface
c
: a windmill sail
2
a
: an instance of sweeping
especially : a clearing out or away with or as if with a broom
b
: the removal from the table in one play in casino of all the cards by pairing or combining
c
: an overwhelming victory
d
: a winning of all the contests or prizes in a competition
e
: a wide-ranging search of an area (as by police)
3
a
: a movement of great range and force
b
: a curving or circular course or line
c
: the compass of a sweeping movement : scope
d
: a broad unbroken area or extent
a sweep of wildflowers
e
: an end run in football in which one or more linemen pull back and run interference for the ballcarrier
4
5
6
: obliquity with respect to a reference line
sweep of an airplane wing
especially : sweepback
7
sweeps plural : a television ratings period during which surveys are taken to determine advertising rates

Illustration of sweep

Illustration of sweep
  • sweep 1a
Phrases
sweep one off one's feet
: to gain immediate and unquestioning support, approval, or acceptance by a person
sweep the board or sweep the table
1
: to win all the bets on the table
2
: to win everything : beat all competitors
Choose the Right Synonym for sweep

range, gamut, compass, sweep, scope, orbit mean the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control).

range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities.

the entire range of human experience

gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another.

a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity.

your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity.

the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible.

as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation.

within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

Examples of sweep in a Sentence

Verb He swept the dirt off the driveway. He swept the crumbs from the table. I need to sweep the kitchen. Are you finished sweeping the porch? A storm swept across the plains. Fires swept through the forest. She proudly swept into the room. The limo swept up to the door. He swept the curtains aside. She swept the books off the desk. Noun Mrs. Griswold has been a teacher for so long that the sweep of her influence extends across three generations of the townspeople.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In 2015, Law and Justice swept to power under the leadership of Jarosław Kaczynski. Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2024 Stanford fell short of sweeping the Pac-12 regular season and tournament titles for a 13th time and showed frontcourt vulnerability that needs attention before NCAA play begins. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 With Golden Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA and SAG Award wins, Randolph swept awards season for her work as Mary Lamb in The Holdovers. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 The remnants of Hurricane Hilary swept through Death Valley National Park last August, bringing a deluge of flooding and forcing the park to shutter. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024 The Science of Reading Movement What to Know: An effort to overhaul how children learn to read, known as the science of reading, is sweeping the United States. Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 The annual event celebrating the worst that Hollywood had to offer in the previous year was swept by the public domain waking nightmare, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, winning five Golden Raspberries. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 In early 2022, the Mexican military swept into Aguililla, temporarily pushing out the CJNG. Keegan Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 The current Huntington Beach council majority of Van Der Mark, Pat Burns, Casey McKeon and Tony Strickland swept the 2022 elections, each getting more than 12% of the vote; Rodriquez received 6.78% and was eighth in the 18-candidate field. Heather McRea, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
The chainsaw-wielding leader has announced a broad deregulation sweep, slashing costs for mining companies in an effort to lure investors amid deepening economic crisis. Megan Janetsky, Victor R. Caivano and Rodrigo Abd, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 The night completed an awards season sweep for the star, with his victory at the Oscars joining his previous supporting actor wins at the Golden Globes, Critic’s Choice Awards, SAG Awards and BAFTA Film Awards. Zack Sharf, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Harvard-Westlake 5, St. Francis 2: The Wolverines completed a three-game sweep of St. Francis. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 The Kings will try to complete a season sweep of the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, who supports Proposition 1, said sweeps are sometimes necessary for public health and safety. Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 1 Mar. 2024 For Sora, these sweeps are the fundamental building blocks, instead of the pixels that make up still images. Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024 Added with earlier plea arrangements and sentences involving others caught in the sweep, the federal court imposed more than $1.8 million in fines. Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 26 Feb. 2024 Some of the nine, meanwhile, signaled a desire to send the case back down to lower courts for further review about the potential sweep of the laws’ provisions beyond the social media platforms. Brian Fung, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sweep.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English swepen; akin to Old English swāpan to sweep, Old High German sweifen to wander

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sweep was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sweep

Cite this Entry

“Sweep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweep. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sweep

1 of 2 verb
swept ˈswept How to pronounce sweep (audio) ; sweeping
1
a
: to remove from a surface with or as if with a broom or brush
sweep the dirt off the rug
b
: to remove or take with a single continuous forceful action
swept the books off the desk
c
: to drive or carry along with great force
2
a
: to clean with or as if with a broom or brush
sweep the floor
b
: to move across or along swiftly, violently, or overwhelmingly
a storm swept across the plains
c
: to win all of
the presidential candidate swept the western states
3
: to move with stately or sweeping movements
swept into the room
4
: to move or extend in a wide curve or range
sweeper noun

sweep

2 of 2 noun
1
: a long movable pole on a post that is used to raise and lower a bucket (as in a well)
2
a
: an act or instance of sweeping
b
: a decisive victory
c
: a winning of all the contests
3
a
: a movement of great range and force
b
: a curving or circular course or line
c
: range entry 1 sense 6a, scope
outside the sweep of our vision
4
5

More from Merriam-Webster on sweep

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