swish

verb

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\ ˈswish

swished; swishing; swishes

Definition of swish

(Entry 1 of 3)

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

swish

noun

plural swishes

Definition of swish (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : 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 gay man

swish

adjective

Definition of swish (Entry 3 of 3)

: smart, fashionable

Other Words from swish Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about swish

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Synonyms & Antonyms for swish

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Adjective

Examples of swish in a Sentence

Verb 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. Noun the steady swish of the windshield wipers the mare brushed away the flies with a sweeping swish of her tail Adjective a trendy boutique filled with swish accessories for the urban fashionista

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Swish solution and let sit: Using a toilet brush, swish the solution around the toilet, making sure to cover any stains and let the solution sit for up to 30 minutes. — Jamie Kim, Good Housekeeping, "How to Easily Remove Hard Water Stains," 18 Jan. 2021 Kahmora, meanwhile, is confined by her floor length gown, and doesn’t do much but swish her arms and walk around the stage verrrrry slowly. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, "Get Into This Lip Sync Even if You Don’t Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race," 23 Jan. 2021 Gently swish the backpack in the solution, and use an old toothbrush to scrub any visible stains. — Lynn Redmile, Good Housekeeping, "How to Wash a Backpack in Just a Few Easy Steps," 19 Jan. 2021 Submerge and swish the clams around, dislodging any dirt or sand. — Christian Reynoso, SFChronicle.com, "Briny clams get a kick from fresh horseradish and herbs for a rich wintery meal," 22 Jan. 2021 In normal years, a single pass would allow skiers to swish between resorts. — Washington Post, "Empty French ski lifts, packed Swiss resorts. Covid rules clash in the Alps.," 14 Jan. 2021 Simply take a spoonful (tiny spoon provided, of course) of the oil after brushing your teeth and swish it around for upwards of 20 minutes. — Sarah Vincelette, USA TODAY, "25 thoughtful get-well-soon gifts to send to loved ones," 9 Dec. 2020 Squirt a little soap into the mug, add enough warm water to cover the stain, and swish the mixture around. — Alicia Chilton, Better Homes & Gardens, "How to Remove Coffee and Tea Stains from Mugs," 6 Nov. 2020 Immerse the sweater in the water and swish the suds around. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "The Most Effective Way to Hand-Wash Clothes in Your Sink, Delicates or Otherwise," 2 June 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun 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 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Fill the bowl with cold water and gently swish and swirl to dislodge pesky dirt or sand without separating the rings of the leeks. — Christian Reynoso, San Francisco Chronicle, "How to have a smaller, brighter Thanksgiving meal at home," 18 Nov. 2020 For the parents: The hotel offers swish office setups in your room replete with printers, wireless keyboards and large monitors that hook up to your puny, eyestrain-inducing laptop. — Kelsey Ogletree, WSJ, "Remote Schooling Is the New First-Class Hotel Perk," 8 Oct. 2020 This makes a two-note swish, swish sound, followed by silence as the bird pecks at whatever goodies have been uncovered. — Will Brantley, Field & Stream, "The Most Effective Two-Hunter Tactics for Spring Turkeys," 5 Mar. 2020 In the heart of D3, Hotel des Arts is opulent and rather swish, not to mention home to one of the best rooftop bars in town (see the drinks section above). — Marianna Cerini, Condé Nast Traveler, "Ho Chi Minh City: Where to Eat, Drink, Stay, and Play," 24 Dec. 2019 Dress rehearsals were taking place inside Amy Morton’s swish new restaurant, Stolp Island Social, attached to the theater. — Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, "Review: Sparkling ‘Beauty and the Beast’ shows how Paramount Theatre has helped transform Aurora," 22 Nov. 2019 Opened in 2005 but relocated into a new space just last year, a maze of secluded booths and private dining rooms unfolds beyond the swish black marble counter wrapping the open kitchen that diners first encounter upon entering. — Davey Young, Condé Nast Traveler, "What To Do in Shibuya: Our Guide," 5 Mar. 2018 This week’s openings Branzino | Rittenhouse Luan Toto’s swish Italian BYOB is back at 261 S. 17th St., two years after a fire. — Michael Klein, Philly.com, "Let's Eat: Smile and order lunch," 4 Apr. 2018 At night, a few would wait outside a swish restaurant in my neighborhood. — Lane Hartill, The Christian Science Monitor, "A journey from distrust to teammates," 4 Apr. 2018

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.