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
Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Neuqua Valley junior center Danny Mikuta caught a pass from teammate Cole Kelly in the right corner and swished a 3-pointer.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
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
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Mar. 2026
What's more, the city has a swish new hotel catering to travelers who are here for pleasure more than business.
—Diana Hubbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swish
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Verb
Stewart swished the shot, and confetti fell from the roof in celebration.
—Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Neuqua Valley junior center Danny Mikuta caught a pass from teammate Cole Kelly in the right corner and swished a 3-pointer.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
Give the bowl a quick swish with some vinegar and a toilet brush, then flush.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
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
Adjective
Russell let the rest of Taylor-Joy's long hair fall in loose, barely there waves, with most of the curl concentrated just at the ends for movement and swish factor.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Mar. 2026
What's more, the city has a swish new hotel catering to travelers who are here for pleasure more than business.
—Diana Hubbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 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 6 Mar. 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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