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
All of them involved a car sideswiping the back of a tractor-trailer that was making a lane change.
—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sideswiping
Verb
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Given the quick-hitting nature of the early morning showers, along with the very isolated nature of afternoon storms, not much rain is expected Friday.
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After slashing its Scope 3 carbon emissions by 20 percent from a 2019 baseline and hitting its target five years ahead of schedule, the Uniqlo parent company has raised the stakes, aiming for an additional 10 percent reduction by 2030.
Verb
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In this case, safe meant a track big enough for two riders to race without bumping into each other.
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Hurd was seen fist-bumping another attacker moments after deputies intervened, Madden Ragland said.
Verb
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Jones said he's been contacting different property owners in areas where Gracie might be to ask for permission to search their land.
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Outside the convention, committee people perform duties in their communities like contacting and registering voters.
Verb
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Other threats against such large events include a potential vehicle-ramming attack or a mass shooting.
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Footage from outdoor security cameras on the woman's home shows that the car was moving at a high speed before ramming into the home.
Cite this Entry
“Sideswiping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sideswiping. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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