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
  • The launch raised concerns among countries in the South Pacific, as the dummy warhead splashed down within the region's nuclear-free zone, according to a Newsweek map.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
  • In the first song, JJ wears goggles and pretends to be a fast fish, splashing around the tub.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The torrent of woe-is-me stories out of Harvard never ends.
    Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2025
  • Authorities discharged floodwater from a reservoir in Miyun on Monday after its maximum flood peak flow reached a record high of 6,550 cubic meters per second, to make space for incoming torrents, Xinhua reported.
    Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • Part Sopranos swagger, part nonna’s Sunday dinner—Gabbiano’s is Portland’s answer to the classic Italian-American joint.
    Chelsea Frank, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • While originally a jet-jockey, Lovell didn’t carry that swagger with him.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The panorama was taken with Perseverance's Mastcam-Z instrument and depicts a rippling surface nearby as well as hills in the distance some 40 miles (65 kilometers) away from the rover.
    Brett Tingley, Space.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • These mistakes can ripple outward, influencing business decisions, investor strategies or even public policy.
    D. Brian Blank, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • During an extreme-rainfall event, the force of the water cascading down these straightened sluices meets with no resistance from meanders, and a river often has no way of reaching its floodplains—frequently now developed—which could absorb and store some runoff.
    John Seabrook, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
  • 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
Noun
  • Kids typically say it while tapping their middle or index finger against their thumb, often with a hint of sass.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 29 July 2025
  • Although scaled down in cast and production size to fit the 194-seat Solana Beach theater, this rollicking comedy has lost none of it rapier wit and sass.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2025
Noun
  • Water stopped flowing over the spillway by mid-afternoon Saturday. Because of flood debris, the LCRA on Saturday was urging the public to avoid boating or swimming in the Highland Lakes.
    Powered By, Austin American Statesman, 7 July 2025
  • The spillway is opened when the river is flowing into the Gulf at a rate of 1.25 million cubic feet per second.
    Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Many jurisdictions outright prohibit new construction in floodways, but most of those rules apply only to immovable structures.
    Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 1 Aug. 2025
  • In 2020, the county passed two ordinances to tighten rules on building in high-risk areas and prevent development in floodways.
    Laura Sullivan, NPR, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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