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
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
The sky-high swat by Bidunga — with his dominant left hand — was the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder’s third rejection of the game (to go with 10 rebounds) and his final highlight-reel play.
—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
16 Nov. 2025
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Liam Owen, of Boise, who worked as an aircraft mechanic for Horizon Airlines, documented the date of the incident as May 28, when high winds swept through the Treasure Valley, fanning the flames of fires, swatting down trees and power lines, and causing tens of thousands to lose power.
—
Idaho Statesman,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for swat
Noun
The swat helped Arkansas survive for an 83-79 win at Oklahoma on Tuesday night.
—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
The sky-high swat by Bidunga — with his dominant left hand — was the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder’s third rejection of the game (to go with 10 rebounds) and his final highlight-reel play.
—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
16 Nov. 2025
Verb
Another customer said Roberts was also seen kicking and swatting chickens outside the store.
—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Liam Owen, of Boise, who worked as an aircraft mechanic for Horizon Airlines, documented the date of the incident as May 28, when high winds swept through the Treasure Valley, fanning the flames of fires, swatting down trees and power lines, and causing tens of thousands to lose power.
—
Idaho Statesman,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for swat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swat
Noun
-
DeTiger also discusses working with Caroline Polachek, Chromeo and Stargate, the viral videos that launched her career, the influence of Rush’s Geddy Lee and developing her signature slap bass style.
-
Morgan responded with a slap and brush off of the voodoo.
Verb
-
Kara and Ruthye figure out the Brigands are trafficking young women for dastardly purposes, giving them yet another reason to smack some dudes around.
-
Schwarber was able to work a walk, and then Derek Hill, another pinch hitter, came up and smacked a home run that gave Philadelphia the lead in a win over the Nationals.
Noun
-
That next phase will focus on measuring the shockwaves generated by the X-59 in flight, along with evaluating the sonic thump impact on the ground.
-
Not long after, Jamison’s parents reported hearing a loud thump, as though someone had fallen, according to prosecutors.
Verb
-
As officers came close, the tow truck slammed on its brakes, causing the squad car to collide with the rear of the truck, the source said.
-
The fatal hit-and-run occurred less than two hours after a 13-year-old boy was killed riding on the back of a moped in Queens after his friend slammed into an open car door and then careened into a moving truck.
Noun
-
While dealing real damage, Moscow’s ability to adapt has prevented Ukraine’s drone campaign from dealing the decisive blow Kyiv’s allies had hoped.
-
Apple could still handle the iPhone differently by raising only Pro model prices, adjusting storage tiers, leaning on carrier promotions or pushing trade-in offers harder to soften the blow.
Verb
-
Each part looks radically different today than when players first started knocking balls around hundreds of years ago.
-
The bench tipped, and the man put out a hand to steady himself, knocking a Hopi headpiece off a ledge.
Noun
-
Beyond that, though, the Americans cannot afford to start with a thud, not with so many untrained eyes finally paying attention.
-
Non-sterling objects produce a dull thud.
Verb
-
Against Cardinals’ starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore, the Braves mustered just one hit and one run through five innings of an eventual 5-3 loss.
-
Thomas had hit a leadoff double, but Michael Massey, Salvador Perez and John Rave failed to drive him in.
Cite this Entry
“Swat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swat. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
