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.

Related Words

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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 Corle, taken completely by surprise, was sideswiped by the massive bear and sent tumbling face first into a thick clump of brush. — Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026 Shortly afterward, another officer was nearly sideswiped by the Civic near Shackleford Road, which led to the pursuit on I-430, the release says. — Arkansas Online, 26 Aug. 2026 Hawaii cleans up after Hurricane Lala Communities struggled to recover after Tropical Storm Lala sideswiped Hawaii as a Category 1 hurricane, sparing the islands a direct hit but dumping more than 3½ feet of rain that caused catastrophic flooding. — Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026 Sorensen allegedly admitted to sideswiping 20-year-old Jonathan Langdon's motorcycle while in a jealous rage, according to court records. — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 11 Aug. 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
  • Moderna just hit a new high The stock is up about 36% in a month.
    — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Because their immune systems are still developing, influenza can hit them hard and fast and can quickly spiral into serious complications including pneumonia, extreme dehydration, brain inflammation or death.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • Wittlin, a 26-year-old broadcast television technician, watched quietly as two officers fist-bumped and another looked inside his wallet.
    — Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
  • General Daily Insight for October 28, 2026 Something tender may get bumped by something unexpected today.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of bump
Verb
  • In post-mortem reviews of the midterm elections in which Democrats swiped control of both chambers of Congress, several GOP leaders pinpointed the blame on the Iran war, including Vice President JD Vance.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
  • At the same time, opportunistic politicians and their allies took to swiping cash from the collection plate.
    — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of swipe
Verb
  • Anyone with more information was asked to contact their local law enforcement agency or to submit an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The auction’s listing was initially thought to be a study for Duyster’s work, but after the museum contacted the auction house, researchers confirmed it as the original.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of contact
Verb
  • The original bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River in March 2024 after a cargo ship lost power and struck it, killing six construction workers.
    — CBS Baltimore, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Currently, the county supervisors can impose a final offer that employees must accept because by law, public safety personnel are not allowed to strike.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of strike
Verb
  • Fights under former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden saw Republican congressional majorities use the issue to ram through spending reductions.
    — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
  • But the policy says, in bold and underlined type, that officers cannot ram vehicles from behind, unless deadly force is justified.
    — Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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