swoop

1 of 2

verb

ˈswüp 

swooped; swooping; swoops

intransitive verb

: to move with a sweep

transitive verb

: to gain or carry off in or as if in a swoop

—usually used with up

swooper noun

swoop

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or instance of swooping

2

: a single concentrated and quickly effective effort

was done in one swoop

—often used with fell

solved everything at one fell swoop

Examples of swoop in a Sentence

Verb

The police swooped in and captured the criminals.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

There, Kyle Duncan swooped in to beat SDFC’s Luca Bombino with a header that beat goalkeeper Duran Ferree. —Kyle Kensing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026

Breakfast, part buffet, part à la carte, is a proper meal to be enjoyed at leisure in the garden, with birds swooping in to steal the crumbs. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026

Noun

Could someone new swoop in and excite the voters enough to go rogue? —Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026

Its beige-tan suede upper and insole with a rubber sole and white-lace tie is styled against a white shoe body with navy swoop symbols on the sides. —Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of Middle English swopen to sweep, from Old English swāpan — more at sweep

First Known Use

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing swoop

• in/at one fell swoop

Rhymes for swoop

• coop
• coupe
• croup
• droop
• drupe
• dupe
• group
• hoop
• loop
• lupe
• oop
• poop

Kids Definition

swoop

1 of 2 verb

ˈswüp 

: to dive or pounce suddenly like a hawk on its prey

swoop

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of swooping

2

: a single quickly effective effort

—often used with fell

solved everything at one fell swoop