swish

1 of 3

verb

swished; swishing; swishes

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 adverb

swish

2 of 3

noun

plural swishes
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 gay man

swish

3 of 3

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
Vigorous, rather than gentle, swishing can interfere with blood clotting or dislodge the clot.3 6. Maxine Lipner, Verywell Health, 19 Oct. 2024 Then, swish it around in your mouth for about 30 seconds before spitting it out in the sink. Cristina Mutchler, Health, 3 Oct. 2024
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, 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, 24 May 2017
Adjective
The adjoining bathroom provides another swish place to freshen up. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2024 Pro Tip Order a French 75 at the swish seventh-floor bar, Flute. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for swish 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

Adjective

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1756, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1766, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swish was in 1756

Dictionary Entries Near swish

Cite this Entry

“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

swish

1 of 2 verb
: to make, move, or strike with a soft rubbing, hissing, or splashing sound

swish

2 of 2 noun
1
: a hissing sound (as of a whip cutting the air) or a sound of soft surfaces rubbing against each other
2
: a swishing movement
swishy
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on swish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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