swing state

noun

plural swing states
US politics : a U.S. state in which Republican and Democratic candidates have similar levels of support and which is considered to play a key role in the outcome of presidential elections
The politics of immigration in Florida, a key swing state, are not as clear as they are in California.Tom Masland et al.
If he is so polarizing, how was he elected five times in a swing state?Nancy Gibbs et al.

Examples of swing state in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Distracting me with worry about hostile powerbrokers in the biggest city of the most important swing state. Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025 Among his first actions during his first full term in Congress was voting against certifying former President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory in the key swing states of Arizona and Pennsylvania. Lawrence Andrea, jsonline.com, 23 Sep. 2025 Jimmy Kimmel can't fathom why Trump is ahead in several crucial swing states. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 According to a New York Times analysis of available voter registration numbers, the Democratic Party is hemorrhaging voters across the board and particularly in swing states. The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for swing state

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swing state was in 1952

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Cite this Entry

“Swing state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swing%20state. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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