swash 1 of 2

1
as in to splash
to move with a splashing motion waves gently swashing against the shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to slosh
to cause (something liquid or mushy) to move along in sheets every bump in the road swashed a little more of my soda on the car's upholstery

Synonyms & Similar Words

swash

2 of 2

noun

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 swash
Verb
Mole crabs burrow themselves in the intertidal swash zone but leave their antennae exposed above the surface to trap food like algae and plankton. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025 This cushiony highlighter deposits a swash of subtle champagne, rose quartz, or gold while the squalane (the secret star of the show) provides moisture for a long-lasting look that provides a skin-like, never cakey, finish. Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 5 Oct. 2024 The dessert menu is just as backward-looking (or, more generously, classic-minded) as the savory offerings: cheesecake with a swash of berry sauce, dark chocolate pot de crème. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 30 June 2024 Other dishes were similarly transcendent: a slab of duck breast was tender and rare, with crisp skin and a dazzling swash of orange sauce. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadow Hourglass’s Scattered Light Eyeshadow is a fun date night accessory thanks to a swash of sparkle that’s easy to apply: just a few dabs of product onto your eyelid, and the pearls will reflect light beautifully. Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 28 Sep. 2023 Some big trout are still in the swash on the beach at dawn, though this action will slow as the water continues to warm—topwaters get them. Frank Sargeant, al, 18 June 2021 Glow Set a travel necessity—perfect for quick makeup touch-ups, passing through TSA, or a shimmering swash of color. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2021 Hollywood’s history is rich with swash-buckling scenes. Allison Prang, WSJ, 22 Oct. 2021
Noun
Recurring character Goro Majima swashes his buckles as the sole protagonist, taking to the seas having suffered from an almighty case of pirate amnesia. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swash
Verb
  • Sake Ono Only a little over a year old, Sake Ono has splashed onto the sake scene with their clean, crisp Junmai Daiginjo.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • Rain splashed the table on this Wednesday morning during an interview in his office.
    Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • But that hasn't stopped a torrent of big news this week, from exploding Starships to significant reuse milestones being reached in Asia.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 June 2025
  • On a purely textual level, the sentences are a torrent, jouncing on rocks, gliding gleefully through mud.
    Jane Alison June 17, Literary Hub, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • At 88, the blues legend still prowls the stage like a man with something to prove—but there’s also a real sensitivity to his swagger.
    Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Speaking of which, here’s where audiences first became acquainted with Ewan McGregor, who alongside Kerry Fox and Christopher Eccleston serves up so much charismatic, 20-something rebellious swagger that he was destined to become a movie star.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • When any balance is disrupted though, the effects can ripple throughout the entire body.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 24 June 2025
  • That is rippling through school-adjacent housing markets that once saw inflated prices on the back of strong demand for better public schools.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • The focus is on the Bangs Lake outfall control structure, which is currently maintained by manually making adjustments to the sluice gate.
    Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025
  • Still, on May 4, India lowered sluice gates at the Baglihar dam, effectively reducing the downstream flow to Pakistan through the Chenab River by up to 90%, according to the Hindustan Times.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • Einstein lives up to her name with sass and smarts, the diva of the bunch.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The Innocents Abroad is written with a new curiosity and sass, unburdened by any lingering sense of inferiority to Europe.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • There, it was successfully utilized to help spawning American shad and blueback herring bypass a spillway located between Lake Marion and the Santee River.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 May 2025
  • Occasionally, the Army Corps will open spillways and floodways that are designed to divert floodwaters during extreme weather events.
    Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Occasionally, the Army Corps will open spillways and floodways that are designed to divert floodwaters during extreme weather events.
    Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • The organization also manages the area’s floodways, including the Central City Flood Control Project, which would create new bypass channels that are an integral part of future Panther Island development.
    Kate Marijolovic, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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