as in hitting
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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Recent Examples of sideswiping
Williams was found dead behind the wheel of his gray Chevrolet Equinox after sideswiping three vehicles before coming to a stop outside the Coney Island Houses, about a block from where the shooting was reported.
—
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
Ramirez-Mesa barrelled through the intersection, sideswiping the 4Runner before crashing into the driver’s side of the Sonata, deputies say.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
But Parente says Martinez, who was shot five times after the crash, did not cause the wreck, arguing the agent was the person who actually initiated the contact by sideswiping his client, making the condition of his vehicle crucial to her defense.
—Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
Ramirez-Mesa barrelled through the intersection, sideswiping the 4Runner before crashing into the driver’s side of the Sonata, deputies say.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
But Parente says Martinez, who was shot five times after the crash, did not cause the wreck, arguing the agent was the person who actually initiated the contact by sideswiping his client, making the condition of his vehicle crucial to her defense.
—Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sideswiping
Verb
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Separately, emergency crews in Oman are battling a fire at fuel storage tanks, after a social media video geolocated by CNN appeared to show an Iranian drone hitting a tank at the port.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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Another officer returned fire, hitting Rivera twice.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And yet the Democrat is bumping along near the bottom, a blip in polls and a laggard in the money chase.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Betty Yee is bumping along near the bottom in California’s race for governor.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The settlement follows a 2022 lawsuit claiming SiriusXM continued calling people who were either listed on the National Do Not Call Registry or who directly asked the company to stop contacting them.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Health officials are investigating the case and contacting people who may have been exposed, the DeKalb County Health Department (DCHD) said in a release Thursday, while keeping patient details under wraps for privacy.—
Laura Turbay,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Police departments across South Florida are reassuring the community Thursday night that their officers are on high alert following an armed attacker ramming his truck into one of the nation’s largest Reform synagogues in Michigan earlier in the day.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
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Authorities say the suspect in Thursday's attack is dead after ramming a truck into the building and being confronted by security.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sideswiping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sideswiping. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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