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

Higgins has received support from Florida Democrats looking to show the party still has a foothold in the formerly swing state. —Adriana Gomez Licon, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025

In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, noted swing states, Democrats won all four Supreme Court races. —Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 8 Dec. 2025

Feds are swarming the swing state. —Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Dec. 2025

Florida, Texas, and Ohio are all at -6 percent, maintaining the pattern of net-negative standings in all major swing states. —Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for swing state

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate