swipe

noun \ ˈswīp \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of swipe

1 : a strong sweeping blow

a swipe of a paw

2 : a sharp often critical remark

took a parting swipe at management

See swipe defined for English-language learners

Examples of swipe in a Sentence

She took a swipe at her former company in her latest column.
a swipe of the cat's paw

Recent Examples of swipe from the Web

But Cuomo’s actions were also widely seen as a swipe at New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a fellow Democrat who has been locked in an intensely personal and seemingly intractable political feud with the governor for years.

— Washington Post, "Politicians blame each other for NYC public housing crisis," 8 Apr. 2018
The chips have long been popular in Europe and Asia but took off in the United States only three years ago, when the card networks began punishing merchants that still relied on the old card-swipe technology.

— stacy cowley, BostonGlobe.com, "Credit card signatures are about to become extinct," 8 Apr. 2018
The chips have long been popular in Europe and Asia but only took off in the United States three years ago, when the card networks began punishing merchants that still relied on the old card-swipe technology.

— stacy cowley, New York Times, "Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S.," 8 Apr. 2018
The second week of April will be open to seniors to get their swipe cards and to receive tours.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Vernon Edition," 3 Apr. 2018
Such comments could be seen as a swipe at ABC’s current line-up of sitcoms celebrated for their diversity like Modern Family, Black-ish, The Goldbergs, and Fresh Off the Boat.

— angela allan, The Atlantic, "How Roseanne Handled the Culture Wars of Its Time," 27 Mar. 2018
The Hedy Lamarr Story in the U.K. on Thursday, Oscar winner Susan Sarandon took a swipe at Hollywood and Harvey Weinstein.

— cameron k mcewan, The Hollywood Reporter, "Susan Sarandon: Hollywood Rewards Actors Who "Don’t Ask Questions"," 9 Mar. 2018
If anyone at Delta thought that this wouldn't be taken as a swipe at the NRA, that person really needs to make some time to meet a few human beings while visiting our planet.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Publicly slighting millions of NRA members isn’t good for business – or America," 5 Mar. 2018
Last year, in a flareup over milk pricing and softwood lumber, Trump took a swipe at the neighbors to the north, warning people not to be fooled by Canadians' friendly demeanor, the The Globe and Mail reported.

— doug stanglin, USA TODAY, "Canadian PM Justin Trudeau rejects Trump's tariffs as 'absolutely unacceptable'," 3 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swipe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of swipe

probably alteration of sweep

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1739

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

swipe Synonyms

Synonyms

bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, lash, lick, pelt, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop (also whap);

body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut;

cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO;

battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling (or cudgelling), drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling (also pummelling), thrashing;

flogging, walloping, whip, whipping;

swipe

verb

Definition of swipe

swiped; swiping

intransitive verb

: to strike or move with a sweeping motion

transitive verb

1 : to strike or wipe with a sweeping motion

2 : steal, pilfer

3 : to slide (a card with a magnetic strip or bar code) through a slot in a reading device so that information stored on the strip can be processed (as in making a purchase)

See swipe defined for English-language learners

See swipe defined for kids

Examples of swipe in a Sentence

The cat swiped the dog across the nose.
They swiped some candy from the store.
The cashier swiped the credit card and gave it back to me.

Recent Examples of swipe from the Web

Several people got out of the SUV, each swiping a credit card at the bump, but none must have worked, because no gas was gumped.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Drunken driver in Grafton allegedly had four unrestrained children in SUV," 9 Apr. 2018
Chavéz, who helped his mother clean houses at age 18, swipes the smudges from the glass porch door.

— gabrielle russon, OrlandoSentinel.com, "In Disney's shadow, immigrants juggle running food truck with cleaning houses," 5 Apr. 2018
Anaya also swiped at the ruling PRI for its record on public safety, which has dramatically worsened under Peña Nieto.

— aaron nelsen, San Antonio Express-News, "Mexican presidential hopeful vows not to pay one cent for Trump’s wall," 3 Apr. 2018
Like popular dating apps, dog lovers swipe right to like and left to pass.

— CBS News, "BarkBuddy: Tinder-like app pairs pups with potential owners," 30 Mar. 2018
The graphics are clean, and the navigation is simple—swipe left for apps (music, exercise, coaching), swipe up for a dashboard of your day’s stats (steps, calories, recent workouts, your past night’s sleep).

— ariella gintzler, Outside Online, "First Impressions of the Fitbit Versa," 26 Mar. 2018
From now on, staff must swipe ID badges to enter school buildings.

— bob sandrick, cleveland.com, "Brecksville-Broadview Heights school board opposes arming teachers, will study other security options," 26 Mar. 2018
The photo series imagines streets, squares, and other city spaces swiped clean, as though run through an ad blocker.

— laura mallonee, WIRED, "What the World Would Look Like Scrubbed Free of Advertising," 22 Mar. 2018
Skyscrapers get punched, debris cascades down and cars get swiped around.

— mark kennedy, idahostatesman, "‘Pacific Rim Uprising’ is cheer-at-the-screen fun | Idaho Statesman," 22 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of swipe

circa 1825

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

swipe Synonyms

Synonyms

bang, bash, bat, belt, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, hit, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap;

scuff;

bunt, flick, stroke, tap;

bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp;

bowl (down or over), cream, deck, fell, floor, knock down, level;

rabbit-punch, sucker punch;

cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip;

bean, brain, conk, skull;

Phrases

hang one on;

SWIPE Defined for English Language Learners

swipe

noun

Definition of swipe for English Language Learners

: a criticism or insult that is directed toward a particular person or group
: a swinging movement of a person's hand, an animal's paw, etc., that is done in an attempt to hit something

swipe

verb

Definition of swipe for English Language Learners

: to reach toward and try to hit (something) with a swinging motion
: to steal (something)
: to pass (a credit card, ATM card, etc.) through a machine that reads information from it