swash 1 of 2

Definition of swashnext
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
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
Noun
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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swash
Verb
  • Minutes later, Marwan came out of the kitchen, his apron splashed with tomato seeds and parsley.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
  • This is the first evidence that this quark-gluon plasma reacts to particles speeding through it in the same way that liquid does, splashing and rippling, acting as a single unified liquid rather than randomly scattering as individual particles would.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • On Monday, dozens more congressional Democrats agreed to join as co-sponsors of legislation seeking to impeach Noem, amid the torrent of negative headlines and controversy.
    Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Among a torrent of new policies that changed the landscape for seeking American citizenship, the administration also rescinded guidance on where ICE arrests could happen, leading to raids at schools, hospitals and places of worship.
    Hugh Son, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The swagger with which the 2013-14 and 2014-15 teams played could never be recaptured.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • My personal vote is for Mala Mía by Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera — a short but impactful five-track EP that blends Tex-Mex swagger and SoCal grit over heartfelt themes and sierreño guitar interplay.
    Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • On Tuesday, criticisms of the White House statement quickly rippled across social media.
    Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The broadside rippled across corporate America as companies accelerated efforts to scale back or scrap DEI programs that could put them in the president’s crosshairs.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Eventually, the animals were clustered into a sluice-like enclosure, and then the animals would be extracted one by one.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 9 Dec. 2025
  • Charlie got into the shower, letting the hot water sluice off the rest of the blood on her back and whatever had dried in her hair.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Okay, Joy, get in there with the sass!
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Her sass pretty much sealed the deal on our guesses.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In 2017, soaking storms led to flooding that caused $100 million in damage in downtown San Jose and the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people when the spillway at Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest dam, in Butte County, partially collapsed under torrents of water.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
  • More than 180,000 people evacuated from Yuba-Sutter and beyond when the Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway nearly failed in 2017.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • The closest the data center would be to Weston Gardens is 370 feet, said Riley, due to a wooded floodway and floodplain between the Black Mountain property and Weston’s.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Call it resilience, call it infrastructure, call it economic development—just build it before the next 8-year-old goes to sleep in a floodway.
    Daniel Lehewych, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.

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