swoop

1 of 3

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 3

noun (1)

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

swooper

3 of 3

noun (2)

swoop·​er

-pə(r)

plural -s

: one that swoops

Examples of swoop in a Sentence

Verb

The police swooped in and captured the criminals.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Billionaire Stan Kroenke, owner of the Rams, Nuggets and Avalanche, swooped in Tuesday to rescue the Angels from baseball’s purgatory. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

To that end, Chris Diamantopoulos looks like an inspired bit of casting as Mitch McNamara, a government agent who swoops in to examine eight dead Jasons and a ninth the police are holding in an interrogation room. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Noun

Wieffer could have been a candidate to fill the No 6 vacancy created by Carlos Baleba’s move to Manchester United, but that slot has been covered by the late swoop for Andres from Stuttgart on deadline day. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Start Small Trying to tackle your entire home in one fell swoop is a recipe for disaster, says Costello, having experienced homemaking burnout herself. — Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 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 (1)

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