swash 1 of 2

verb

ˈswäsh How to pronounce swash (audio)
Definition of swashnext
1
as in to splash
to move with a splashing motion waves gently swashing against the shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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

1
as in torrent

Related Words
2
as in swagger

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 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 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
  1. splash
  2. torrent
  3. swagger
  4. ripple
  5. sluice
  6. sass
  7. spillway
  8. floodway
Verb
  • By falsely inflating their earnings, Man City’s ownership could splash loads of cash on the best players in the world.
    — Matt Piper, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The premium hardware and 500D nylon build offer IPX4 splash protection and rugged longevity without relying on the loud, militaristic styling that makes other tactical packs look out of place in a professional office.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of splash
Noun
  • Such terrain is already conducive to flash flooding, sudden torrents that can sweep down canyons and other low-lying areas with little warning.
    — Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision unleashed unlimited torrents of money into political campaigns, elections are now largely financed by big money donors and super PACs.
    — Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of torrent
Noun
  • Its conversational lyrics, lively rhythm and undeniable chemistry give the song a confident, energizing swagger.
    — qygwork, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026
  • His Afro and leather jacket project swagger, but there’s an appealing openness in his material, too, a willingness to self-deprecate in service of a harder joke.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of swagger
Verb
  • On Facebook, Lee’s account displayed a picture of the young Chinese man from behind, rippling shoulders framed in a weight lifter’s tank top.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Escarpments were carved into beaches, asphalt rippled on the coastal highway, and tourists like Lester were left trapped.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of ripple
Noun
  • The water flow is being managed at Canton Lake, and the Corps of Engineers said the goal is to have between 600 and 730 cubic feet of water per second leave through sluice gates during the greatest period of flow.
    — Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Dam Removal Europe found that the number of dams dismantled in 2025, along with other water-flow controls like weirs, culverts and sluices, grew by 11% from the year before.
    — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 3 June 2026
Definition of sluice
Noun
  • Susi Singer’s figurative candlestick has style and sass that owes at least partly to its earthenware origins, favored at the Werkstätte for its affordability over porcelain, but much less capable of refined shapes.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Played to perfection by Robert Picardo, the Emergency Medical Hologram was programmed to save lives and give sass.
    — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
Definition of sass
Noun
  • The Johnson County Sheriff's Office received a call around noon of two persons in the water near the Coralville Reservoir spillway at the nature reserve, which is roughly eight and a half miles north of Iowa City.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The sheriff’s office said deputies responded shortly after noon Tuesday to a report of people in the water at Lake Macbride State Park near the Coralville Reservoir spillway.
    — Kelsie Cairns , Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of spillway
Noun
  • This 59,000-acre floodway carries the river’s excess past the state capital.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Westcott said some of the subdivisions along the creek were built in the 1960s and 1970s when proper drainage was an afterthought and fences were installed in floodways.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of floodway

Browse Nearby Words

swarthy
swash
swashbuckling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of regimen

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All