swished; swishing; swishes
: to move, pass, swing, or whirl with the sound of a swish
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
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
: smart, fashionable
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
Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
Midway through the second quarter Tuesday night, Southlake Carroll junior guard Whitney Jense blocked Mansfield Legacy star Madison Crawford on one end and came down on offense and swished a 3-pointer.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 17 Feb. 2026
Anika Reed, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
As California’s water crisis worsened, recalling the constant swish of sprinklers throughout her childhood piqued her interest in native plants.
—Brittany Levine Beckman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
Then gently swish and squeeze the crochet item in the solution; don't wring or scrub.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swish
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Verb
Kansas Jayhawks freshman men’s basketball sensation Darryn Peterson swished his sixth 3-pointer of the game, one that stretched a rapidly dwindling KU lead to 13 points.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
Midway through the second quarter Tuesday night, Southlake Carroll junior guard Whitney Jense blocked Mansfield Legacy star Madison Crawford on one end and came down on offense and swished a 3-pointer.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
The swish of chainmail coming down the runway was audible, as models slinked down the catwalk decked in statement pelts and belts.
—Anika Reed, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
As California’s water crisis worsened, recalling the constant swish of sprinklers throughout her childhood piqued her interest in native plants.
—Brittany Levine Beckman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Thankfully, the silhouette is the epitome of trendy, offering a versatile design that includes a side swish, contrasting textiles, and bold colors.
—Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
Then gently swish and squeeze the crochet item in the solution; don't wring or scrub.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swish
Cite this Entry
“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swish. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swish
1 of 2 verb
: to make, move, or strike with a soft rubbing, hissing, or splashing sound
swish
2 of 2 noun1
: 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
-ē
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