1
2
as in hovered
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
there appeared to be an oily film swimming on the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swam
Although San Francisco Bay is cold, the fitness icon Jack La Lanne once swam to the island pulling a rowboat, and several children also made the swim.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
At the event, children could make paper at an activity table and experience animals inside the museum, including Augie, a red-eared slider turtle, who swam to the surface briefly when visitors peered into the pool.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The problem was that, under a microscope, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and other motile bacteria almost instantly swam out of frame.
—Quanta Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Immediately, a 15-foot great white swam straight toward us.
—Michael H Gavshon, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere in the photoshoot, Hosk swam in a pool, clad in a white graphic T-shirt and black underwear.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026
The whale swam into an inlet on the small island of Poel, near the port of Wismar, on Tuesday and got stuck again.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The Secret to Staying Sharp The actor, who previously swam and played tennis, now works out with a personal trainer twice a week — alongside Bartlett.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
When first responders arrived, a diver swam to the vehicle and connected it to a wrecker so the car could be pulled out of the water.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
At the event, children could make paper at an activity table and experience animals inside the museum, including Augie, a red-eared slider turtle, who swam to the surface briefly when visitors peered into the pool.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The problem was that, under a microscope, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and other motile bacteria almost instantly swam out of frame.
—Quanta Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Immediately, a 15-foot great white swam straight toward us.
—Michael H Gavshon, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere in the photoshoot, Hosk swam in a pool, clad in a white graphic T-shirt and black underwear.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026
The whale swam into an inlet on the small island of Poel, near the port of Wismar, on Tuesday and got stuck again.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The Secret to Staying Sharp The actor, who previously swam and played tennis, now works out with a personal trainer twice a week — alongside Bartlett.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
When first responders arrived, a diver swam to the vehicle and connected it to a wrecker so the car could be pulled out of the water.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swam
Verb
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Nikki Glaser spun an unfortunate situation into comedy gold.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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At the time, many observers, including former board members, wondered whether the company should be broken apart, with its manufacturing facilities sold or spun into a separate business.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Water levels hovered around 7 inches below the top of the dam Saturday at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex in Northern Michigan, after having spiked less than 6 inches from the top of the dam earlier in the week.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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The Brent Crude front month contract hovered around $90, down more than 5% from just hours earlier, as Wall Street got set to open for trading.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even before that nautical narrative of a reality show sailed into his life, the Australia native spent 30 years in the shipping/boating/charter industries.—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then sailed around Sydney Harbor with Invictus Australia.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The agency has floated the idea of transitioning special-education services to Health and Human Services—the department, McMahon pointed out, that oversaw special education before Ed existed.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Some Republicans have also floated adding more defense funding and a change to capital gains taxes to adjust for inflation.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Smoke from the fires has drifted far beyond South Georgia, with residents in Atlanta and across the metro area reporting a strong smell of burning and hazy skies.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Smoke has drifted hundreds of miles across the Southeast, pushing air quality into unhealthy ranges for vulnerable residents from Atlanta to South Carolina.—
Emilie Megnien,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swam. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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