swish

play

verb \ ˈswish \

Definition of swish

intransitive verb

:to move, pass, swing, or whirl with the sound of a swish

transitive verb

1 :to move, cut, or strike with a swish

the horse swished its tail

2 :to make (a basketball shot) so that the ball falls through the rim without touching it

swished a 3-point jumper

—

swisher

noun

—

swishingly

play \ˈswi-shiŋ-lē\ adverb

See swish defined for English-language learners

See swish defined for kids

Examples of swish in a Sentence

He watched as the windshield wipers swished back and forth.
The horse's tail swished back and forth.
The horse swished its tail back and forth.

Recent Examples of swish from the Web

Katy Perry is not just swishing away former flame Orlando Bloom.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Katy Perry Addresses Orlando Bloom Romance Rumors: ‘When You Get Older, Lines Get Blurred’," 22 Aug. 2017
Swishing their hands through the bright colored bubbles and breathing in the fragrance.

— kirby adams, The Courier-Journal, "Cosmetic mega god LUSH bucks big store trend, expands Louisville location," 11 Aug. 2017
The figures are staggering, another sign of the almost ludicrous wealth swishing around the higher echelons of the global game.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "The global politics of the biggest story in soccer," 8 Aug. 2017
Marte, a sophomore standout for Osceola’s title team last season, caused some havoc with defensive pressure and swished a 3-point shot to spark a rally.

— buddy collings, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Osceola High guard Josh Marte longs for a chance in college basketball," 22 July 2017
Wade swished a 20-footer with 5:46 left in the third to give the Heat its first lead since the first period.

— joseph goodman, miamiherald, "The Bosh ‘Big 3’ game that propelled the Miami Heat into the NBA Finals," 4 July 2017
A teammate hurled him the ball, and Iwundu swished a wide-open 3-pointer.

— josh robbins, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Magic expect rugged defense from rookie Wesley Iwundu," 3 July 2017
Bacon took the game’s first shot, swishing from above the key.

— rick bonnell, charlotteobserver, "Where were the rookie jitters? Hornets’ Dwayne Bacon promising in debut," 1 July 2017
Then, drag the scraper gently over the top surface of the tongue—back to front—before rinsing and swishing mouthwash.

— adam hurly, GQ, "How a Tongue Scraper Can Put an End to Bad Breath for Good," 29 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of swish

imitative

swish Synonyms

Synonyms

fizz, fizzle, sizzle, hiss, whish, whiz (or whizz)

Related Words

swoosh, wheeze, whistle, whoosh, zip; bubble, effervesce; buzz, drone, hum

swish

noun

Definition of swish

1 a :a prolonged hissing sound (as of a whip cutting the air)

b :a light sweeping or brushing sound

2 :a swishing movement

3 slang, usually disparaging + offensive :an effeminate homosexual

Examples of swish in a Sentence

the steady swish of the windshield wipers
the mare brushed away the flies with a sweeping swish of her tail

Recent Examples of swish from the Web

After Kyle Korver of the Cavaliers missed an open 3-pointer, Durant spotted up from the top of the arc — swish — for a 114-113 lead.

— scott cacciola, New York Times, "Late Surge Puts Warriors One Step From Postseason Perfection," 8 June 2017
That goes especially for star Johnny Depp, whose Captain Jack Sparrow remains an unchanging and buffoonish blend of swash and swish.

— robert w. butler, kansascity.com, "That sinking feeling: ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5’," 24 May 2017
Swish swish sounds like it is written by 8 yr old kid or Donald Trump.

— gil kaufman, Billboard, "Watch Katy Perry Finally Explain Taylor Swift Beef, Sing 'Swish, Swish' & More Hits in 'Carpool Karaoke'," 23 May 2017
In a hurricane, those waves can come in quick, short bursts as powerful thunderstorms around the storm’s eye wall swish air up and down like a plunger in a toilet bowl.

— jenny staletovich, miamiherald, "UM researchers find new way to measure hurricanes: ‘gravity waves’," 17 May 2017
The swish was almost inevitable from the area of the court that is his sweet spot.

— bill livingston, cleveland.com, "Kyrie Irving's late burst shows Cleveland Cavaliers' firepower: Bill Livingston (photos, video)," 8 May 2017
The icing on the cake was the little details that matter: the follow through, the curling down of fingers, the backspin, the holding of the follow through — and of course, the swish.

— mirin fader, Orange County Register, "Baker relishes scoring role for Capistrano Valley," 1 Feb. 2017

swish Synonyms

Synonyms

fizz, sizzle, hiss, whish, whiz (or whizz)

Related Words

swoosh, wheeze, whistle, whoosh, zip; sibilance, sibilant

swish

adjective

Definition of swish

:smart, fashionable

See swish defined for English-language learners

Examples of swish in a Sentence

a trendy boutique filled with swish accessories for the urban fashionista

Recent Examples of swish from the Web

Rooms are sober and stylish, and every luxury amenity is on hand — from a swish spa and juice bar to a city-view pool and gym.

— kyle valenta, USA TODAY, "10 hotels with amazing city skyline views," 6 July 2017
Your taste buds just stop firing properly, leaving you to helplessly swish and gargle your beer in a doomed attempt to detect its subtle notes of hibiscus.

— the editors of gq, GQ, "13 Reasons Why American Beer Is the Best Beer," 23 June 2017
Error loading player: No playable sources found In the swish part of Cape Town, tourists stroll on palm tree–lined boulevards and visit the white sand beaches in the suburbs of Clifton and Camps Bay.

— elles van gelder, Newsweek, "At Prom Night in South Africa's Gangsterland, Teenagers Look Forward to One Carefree Night," 31 May 2017
Error loading player: No playable sources found In the swish part of Cape Town, tourists stroll on palm tree–lined boulevards and visit the white sand beaches in the suburbs of Clifton and Camps Bay.

— elles van gelder, Newsweek, "At Prom Night in South Africa's Gangsterland, Teenagers Look Forward to One Carefree Night," 31 May 2017
Swish swish sounds like it is written by 8 yr old kid or Donald Trump.

— gil kaufman, Billboard, "Watch Katy Perry Finally Explain Taylor Swift Beef, Sing 'Swish, Swish' & More Hits in 'Carpool Karaoke'," 23 May 2017

Origin and Etymology of swish

origin unknown

swish Synonyms

Synonyms

à la mode (also a la mode), au courant, chic, cool [slang], exclusive, fashionable, fresh [slang], happening, hip, in, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, supercool, swell, stylish, trendy, voguish

Antonyms

dowdy, out, outmoded, styleless, unchic, uncool, unfashionable, unmodish, unstylish

Related Words

downtown, edgy, funky; dapper, dashing, dressy, kicky, natty, rakish, sassy, saucy, spiffy, spruce; chichi, classy, flossy, haute (also haut), nobby, posh, ritzy, soigné (or soignée), swank (or swanky); elegant, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined, sophisticated, stately, tasteful, understated; doggish, doggy, flashy, gallant; dandyish, dudish, foppish; ultrachic, ultracool, ultrahip, ultraposh, ultrasmart, ultrasophisticated

Near Antonyms

cheesy, tacky, unattractive, unbecoming; graceless, inelegant, tasteless, trashy, unhandsome; frowsy (or frowzy), sloppy, slovenly, unkempt, untidy; disheveled (or dishevelled), messy, mussy, rumpled, wrinkled; shabby, sleazy

SWISH Defined for English Language Learners

swish

play

verb

Definition of swish for English Language Learners

: to move with or cause (something) to move with a soft sweeping or brushing sound

swish

adjective

Definition of swish for English Language Learners

: fashionable and expensive

SWISH Defined for Kids

swish

play

verb \ ˈswish \

Definition of swish for Students

swished; swishing

:to make, move, or strike with a soft sweeping or brushing sound

The horse swished its tail.

swish

noun

Definition of swish for Students

1 :a soft sweeping or brushing sound

2 :a movement that produces a sweeping or brushing sound

Learn More about swish

See words that rhyme with swish Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for swish Spanish Central: Translation of swish Nglish: Translation of swish for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of swish for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about swish

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SWISH Defined for English Language Learners

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