as in nerd
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits
every time he begged off a night at the pub—saying he had to study—his mates teased him for being a swot
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Recent Examples of swot
John McIntyre, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2023
So, swot up, then delegate.
—Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes, 4 May 2021
The Economist, 13 June 2020
Greenblatt might want to have a chinwag with some of his colleagues in the history department and swot up the biography of someone like Wisconsin’s Robert La Follette, a progressive populist politician perhaps more to his liking.
—Alex Beam, BostonGlobe.com, 2 May 2018
Noun
The Oxbridge and Ivy League colleges traditionally had disparaging terms for students who worked too hard and devoted themselves too diligently to learning: swot in England, grind in the United States.
—John McIntyre, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2023
So, swot up, then delegate.
—Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes, 4 May 2021
Verb
Yamada Jun, the IT expert, became the CEO and travelled to Germany to swot up on renewables.
—The Economist, 13 June 2020
Greenblatt might want to have a chinwag with some of his colleagues in the history department and swot up the biography of someone like Wisconsin’s Robert La Follette, a progressive populist politician perhaps more to his liking.
—Alex Beam, BostonGlobe.com, 2 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swot
Noun
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He’s also been transformed into a stereotypical, lightsaber-brandishing nerd with a wardrobe of wacky T-shirts.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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The guys who were the heads of the club were track kids; fit, secret nerds.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The research consortium has data from tissue samples that represents a resource the field has never had—and that is yet to be fully analyzed.—
Atul Gawande,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
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His internet history was equally troubling, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which analyzed screenshots of his gaming accounts that contained Nazi and Hitler references.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Tapping into the geek chic aesthetic, the star completed the look with a pair of black trousers held up by red, white and blue suspenders supported by her shoulders.—
Starr Bowenbank,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Flamboyant theater geek Ezra (Matthew Finlan) makes his shrieks sound especially dramatic.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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When Aaron Friar, 50, and daughter, Ellie, 15, vanished from their Medford, Oregon, home on Oct. 2, 2017, investigators quickly deduced that there was foul play.—
Lauren A. White,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
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Alienware’s simulations deduced that this was the most effective way to move cool air into the system and push hot air out as quickly as possible—even more efficient than including a rear outward-facing exhaust fan.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The scientists have now studied more than 5,000 relatives and every one of them who had the mutation lost short-term memories and the ability to care for themselves.—
Karen Weintraub,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
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But scientists aren't done studying this cosmic crime scene.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Tune in on May 14 to find out which three games will be played on Dec. 25.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Sonny Hendrix, 11 at the time, found out upon getting home from football practice that his Navy-officer dad — Roy Hendrix — had survived.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For more: read Jeff Nussbaum’s investigation, from 2015, of what happened the night New York City saved itself from bankruptcy.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2025
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Chicago Tribune In one of the lawsuits, a lawyer for the government read a statement in federal court in Oakland, California, that said ICE was restoring the student status for people whose records were terminated in recent weeks.—
Kate Brumback,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The measure would provide funding for implementation and allow exceptions for students with learning challenges or translation needs.—
Sarah Taddeo,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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This natural sanctuary is a space of learning, one that reveals itself in pieces.—
Avery Schuyler Nunn,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swot. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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