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.
Ohio, which was a swing state for much of the 2000s, is viewed as perhaps Democrats' best chance beyond Maine and North Carolina, the two most competitive races. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 Florida has undergone a dramatic political transformation over the past decade from a swing state to Republican stronghold. Alexander Lowie, The Conversation, 25 Apr. 2025 The Democratic primary could become a litmus test for the future of the party in a key swing state and Senate contest. Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2025 That included purchases of coal from Pennsylvania that preserved some jobs in a swing state, even though Ukraine has abundant coal of its own. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 13 Apr. 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 10 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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