as in 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
Relevance
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 sideswiped
That’s when the 35-year-old was sideswiped by a driver, according to news outlet ClickOrlando.
—
Owen Clarke, Outside, 21 Nov. 2025
Jamaica was still recovering from Hurricane Beryl, which sideswiped the island in July 2024 as a Category 4 storm.
—Farah Nibbs, The Conversation, 12 Nov. 2025
During a chase that began in Colerain Township and lasted 1½ minutes, prosecutors say James’ car sideswiped a vehicle and then drove through a red light at Kemper and Pippin roads at about 90 mph, striking a Ford Fusion driven by Mills.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2025
While Zane was driving on I-95 south, another driver sideswiped his car at a high rate of speed without applying the brakes, according to the family, citing an eyewitness.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The removal of Hill isn’t justification for a do-over, or a reason for this season being sideswiped because Hill was on the field when these Dolphins dug themselves an 0-3 hole to start the season.
—Omar Kelly
october 3, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Police said the motorcycle officer also tried to stop the Buick, but the driver did not yield and sideswiped another car.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
At times, fill-in left tackle Justin Skule was sideswiped.
—Jenna West, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
The guy whose first season was sideswiped by an injury to his starting quarterback – who now looks like a legit SEC starter – instead of the guy who chose poorly when throwing money at a transfer portal quarterback.
—Matt Hayes, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2025
Owen Clarke, Outside, 21 Nov. 2025
Jamaica was still recovering from Hurricane Beryl, which sideswiped the island in July 2024 as a Category 4 storm.
—Farah Nibbs, The Conversation, 12 Nov. 2025
During a chase that began in Colerain Township and lasted 1½ minutes, prosecutors say James’ car sideswiped a vehicle and then drove through a red light at Kemper and Pippin roads at about 90 mph, striking a Ford Fusion driven by Mills.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2025
While Zane was driving on I-95 south, another driver sideswiped his car at a high rate of speed without applying the brakes, according to the family, citing an eyewitness.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The removal of Hill isn’t justification for a do-over, or a reason for this season being sideswiped because Hill was on the field when these Dolphins dug themselves an 0-3 hole to start the season.
—Omar Kelly
october 3, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Police said the motorcycle officer also tried to stop the Buick, but the driver did not yield and sideswiped another car.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
At times, fill-in left tackle Justin Skule was sideswiped.
—Jenna West, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
The guy whose first season was sideswiped by an injury to his starting quarterback – who now looks like a legit SEC starter – instead of the guy who chose poorly when throwing money at a transfer portal quarterback.
—Matt Hayes, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sideswiped
Verb
-
Journalist Don Lemon was released from custody Friday after he was arrested and hit with federal civil rights charges over his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
But of all the spaghetti that got thrown at the wall, this is the one that hits for reasons that are totally orthogonal to politics and sort of Washington.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Nottingham Forest right-back was bumped by team-mate Elliot Anderson, and referee Michael Oliver’s decision to award a corner was backed up after a VAR review.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2026
-
The Knicks then bumped their reserve sharpshooter up to available to play against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
She was contacted by Apple about the device and then set her phone to make a noise to alert her when the device was nearby.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The lawsuit Reilly filed alleges that police were contacted by staff at Midstate Medical Center and told of Mollow’s statements about wanting to kill Ashworth.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Department of Homeland Security said the agent opened fire after the suspect rammed federal law enforcement with his vehicle.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
That's when prosecutors say Sousa-Martins then drove back, rammed into an officer's vehicle, and then drove forward towards other vehicles and officers.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sophomore forward Billy Richmond III swiped the ball away from sophomore guard Christian Anderson, tumbled to the floor and passed ahead to Acuff, who completed a three-point play after he was fouled by Lejuan Watts on the layup.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
13 Dec. 2025
-
At the end of last week’s episode, the ladies’ investigation reached a real breakthrough when Julian swiped a cache of information related to Jacobson-Moore’s Australia retreat.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Russia struck Ukrainian energy assets in several regions of Ukraine on Thursday but there were no strikes on those facilities overnight, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Five missiles and 25 drones struck in 15 regions and 80 drones were shot down, according to the air force.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The styling team has knocked it out of the park yet again.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In September 2014, TMZ published a grainy elevator security video that showed Ray Rice, the star running back for the Baltimore Ravens, punching his girlfriend in the face so hard that she was knocked unconscious.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Three people were killed and two others were hospitalized after two vehicles collided Saturday afternoon at an intersection on the American River Parkway near North Sacramento.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sideswiped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sideswiped. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
