swish

verb

swished; swishing; swishes
Synonyms of swishnext

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

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the play ends, as Kris Jenkins bends over a bit at the waist to watch his work of art swish its way into history, Mikal Bridges dashes onto the court and Josh Hart full scale piggy backs onto Phil Booth. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 June 2026 In other words, avoid swishing seltzers in your mouth, drinking a lot of them or even sipping one throughout the day. The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026 When the video screen showed Caruso, the rabid Thunder fans doubled their volume, as if a game-winning buzzer-beater had just swished. Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 19 May 2026 In one of the top games, Atlanta’s Paul Parks took a 6-2 lead over Miami’s Byrd Daniel III, before Daniel swished two straight behind the arc to tie it at six points. Jason Beede, Sun Sentinel, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for swish

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of swish was in 1756

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swish. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

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

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