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
-
Iowa then got three good looks from the three-point line in the final seconds but couldn't hit the tying shot.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Despite their franchise history dating back to the mid-70s (via Kansas City and Colorado), which includes essentially all of the highest-scoring era in league history, the New Jersey Devils have never had a player hit either of the game’s most basic offensive milestones.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Those who remain are concentrated in Venezuela’s cities, including its capital, Caracas, where the street market in the Catia neighborhood once was so busy that shoppers bumped into one another and dodged oncoming traffic.—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Fortune,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Those who remain are concentrated in Venezuela’s cities, including its capital, Caracas, where the street market in the Catia neighborhood once was so busy that shoppers bumped into one another and dodged oncoming traffic.—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Earlier that evening, Garden Grove police had been contacted by the Santa Ana Police Department, which was investigating a possible missing-person case after the woman failed to report to work, police said.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Due to cold temperatures, emergency medical services were contacted to evaluate her, authorities said.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Robert Boyce, a retired chief of detectives for the New York Police Department, said the officer's previous experience of being rammed and dragged could be considered in the investigation when weighing whether his actions were objectively reasonable.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The agents arrested Martinez, who survived, but the charges were dismissed after her attorneys showed footage showing that, in fact, agents had rammed her car.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 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
-
The earthquake struck at a depth of just 2 miles, with its epicenter approximately 6 miles northwest of Blue Diamond.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
One Alvarado police officer was struck in the neck during the attack.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
White egrets stood in the shallows, a woodpecker knocked somewhere nearby, and pairs of green parrots flew upstream, beating their wings in time.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
He was eventually knocked free of the vehicle, and suffered significant lacerations that required 33 stitches, the official said.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Peter was driving when their car collided with the one carrying Carrie and her own newborn.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The worlds of digital production, the creator economy and traditional media collided at the Digital Content Forum at the BFI on London’s South Bank this week.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sideswiped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sideswiped. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share