sideswipe

verb

Definition of sideswipenext
as in to hit
US to cause the side of a vehicle to come into forceful contact with the side of another vehicle The taxi sideswiped a parked car.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sideswipe Last week, The Economist wrote a breathless piece about how the US economy is firing on all cylinders—and fears that a recession will sideswipe stocks are just plain wrong. — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026 As Friday dawned on northern Oklahoma, emergency officials in Garfield County and Enid have counted 40 homes so far that were damaged in a powerful tornado that sideswiped the city and also caused damage at Vance Air Force Base. — Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 24 Apr. 2026 The impact caused the suspect to lose control, sideswipe a tree and go flying off the scooter. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026 After sideswiping a tractor-trailer, Garrison would pull over while the spotter sped ahead to flag down the truck’s driver. — Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sideswipe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sideswipe
  1. hit
  2. bump
  3. swipe
  4. contact
  5. strike
  6. ram
Verb
  • As thousands of professors at in the University of California system say the students entering their classrooms are increasingly under-prepared for university-level math, the university’s timely graduation rates just hit all-time highs.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
  • Average daily rates in Miami hit $302 for both game nights and eves, according to AirDNA.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • Cope tried to make the save, but Claudio released the hold and bumped Cage to the outside.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • And for everyone in the F1 paddock, there is now additional clarity on plans for the second half of the season heading into the summer break, while bumping the calendar back up to a provisional 23 races.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of bump
Verb
  • Indoors is all warm palettes, rich tilework, and high ceilings, with the murmuring of locals and guests swiping the last of their basil-green fusilli with creamy stracciatella.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Miami has swiped at least two bases in a game 35 times this season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of swipe
Verb
  • Several attempts to contact his ex-wife over multiple days were unsuccessful.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • If cardholders believe their EBT benefits have been stolen, the county advises them to call the customer service number on the back of their card and change their PIN immediately or contact the county directly at 1-800-560-0976.
    — Vince Basada July 29, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of contact
Verb
  • Emergency crews on the ground and in helicopters are scouring the Karakoram mountain range for the 10 climbers, including one American, who are believed to be have been on 8,047-meter-tall Broad Peak when an avalanche struck around midday Thursday.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • In Kyiv, Russian forces struck the capital with ballistic missiles, killing a 31-year-old man and wounding two others, the National Police press service said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of strike
Verb
  • Over the last few months, people have cut down surveillance cameras owned by the company Flock Safety with an electric saw in upstate New York, thrown paint on them in Oakland, California, and rammed a truck into them in Idaho.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • The Los Angeles Fire Department said crews responded to the 14800 block of Pacific Coast Highway after a truck rammed into a commercial building.
    — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 30 July 2026
Definition of ram

Browse Nearby Words

side streets
sideswipe
sideswiped
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sideswipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sideswipe. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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