as in slap
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the impatient toddler got a swat on his wrist for stepping into the street by himself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to smack
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
didn't sleep a wink all night because she was too busy swatting mosquitoes
Synonyms & Similar 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 swat
Jack Smart, People.com, 16 May 2025
Swatting occurs when someone reports an innocent person to law enforcement, accusing them of serious crimes, which results in armed police swat teams responding to the victims’ homes.
—Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Mar. 2025
Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Schweit said the likelihood of catching those responsible for the latest swatting incidents depends on the sophistication of the effort and the distance of the individual.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swat
Noun
Butler, 33, can be seen briefly blowing in the direction of the inquisitive bee, while Pascal, 50, swats at it.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 16 May 2025
Swatting occurs when someone reports an innocent person to law enforcement, accusing them of serious crimes, which results in armed police swat teams responding to the victims’ homes.
—Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
In the eighth inning, Edwards swatted a three-run homer to right field.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Schweit said the likelihood of catching those responsible for the latest swatting incidents depends on the sophistication of the effort and the distance of the individual.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swat
Noun
-
Tyreek Hill in a slap contest, body slamming some WWE guys, and beating all the Buccaneers offensive line in a stein-holding contest.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Opta project them to finish on 53 points, slap-bang in mid-table.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Chiefs crushed the Patriots that night, winning 41-14 at Arrowhead Stadium and Brady was benched after the Chiefs smacked him down.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Pinch-hitters Agustín Ramírez and Eric Wagaman then smacked consecutive RBI singles to deliver the Marlins their first lead of the series.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bass-heavy tracks carry plenty of thump while vocals still sound crisp, and the companion app gives you real control over the EQ.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
-
And the thump, thump, thumping of her brother’s hands pounding a heavy bag.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
During hours of debate on Friday, which Republicans eventually shut down using a procedural move, Democrats continued to slam the new map as detrimental to voters – particularly for voters in Kansas City, Missouri, which would be split among multiple districts.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Other coffee bean-growing countries are also being slammed with tariffs.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Such a move would not only disrupt the 170 million Americans who use the app but also deal a major blow to the creator economy, which relies heavily on TikTok for income and audience growth.—
Katie Salcius,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Losing wing-back Liberato Cacace — so impressive alongside Callum Doyle down that flank at Millwall a fortnight ago — to injury was a huge blow.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Arkansas held a 16-point lead in the second half against Texas Tech, but the Red Raiders rallied to win 85-83 in overtime to secure a trip to the Elite Eight and knock the Razorbacks out of the tournament.—
Michael Harley,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Even 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The offense started fast but finished with a thud.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 Sep. 2025
-
When the last clasp was undone, Rusty fell face first to the floor with a great thud.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The jeans also have a cropped length that hits right at the ankle and patch pockets that not only look cute, but are also functional.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Denholm is giving interviews to explain the board’s decision to award Musk a pay package that could be worth $1 trillion if the company hits milestones for market capitalization, profits, and vehicle production.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swat. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share