swats 1 of 2

noun

Definition of swatsnext
plural of swat
as in slaps
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

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swats

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of swat
as in smacks
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 swats
Noun
The Wolverines had only three swats against Arizona, but that was a 91-73 win in a game that was supposed to be the best of the tournament but turned into something else. — CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
What’s next, a robotic baseball player named Babe that swats 500-foot home runs and throws 120 mph pitches, eclipsing Shohei Ohtani’s real-life achievements and commanding a billion dollar contract? — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026 And when Melbourne still attempts to challenge the two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Wilson swats it away with ease. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025 Thumps sound, and his arm disappears as someone swats it down. — Sahana Jayaraman, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swats
  1. slaps
  2. smacks
  3. swipes
  4. knocks
  5. thumps
  6. hits
  7. punches
  8. slams
Noun
  • These 16 slaps are lucid and adventurous, featuring random Jay Electronica warblings, DJ Quik rhythms, and a couple of surprisingly appropriate Westside Gunn vignettes.
    — Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Mother was the destination, but the slaps, pineapple, goat, and countless detours made the journey worthwhile.
    — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of slaps
Verb
  • And there’s rarely time to digest one controversy before the next one comes barreling down the road and smacks us in the mouth.
    — Bernard Goldberg, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In a fight with yet more mercenaries, Reacher smacks a gun out of a guy’s hand using one of Philadelphia’s moving subway trains.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of smacks
Noun
  • Users can switch back to the original layout, Narasimhan says, and Reels will be unmuted once a user swipes or clicks into a video.
    — Mia Sato, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Fair warning, these are exactly the kind of candy a parent spots in a kid’s trick-or-treat bag and swipes as candy tax.
    — Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of swipes
Verb
  • After the tempting offer, Pryce knocks on Clark’s door to see the ambitious former player wearing under-eye masks, agreeing to his proposition.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The flash lasts only a fraction of a picosecond, and the beam knocks individual atoms out of place.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of knocks
Noun
  • The lower-vocal harmony struggles to stand out any time the deeper bass thumps.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Definition of thumps
Verb
  • But surprise hits like Obsession, Project Hail Mary or The Invite have made this year an especially buoying one for the cinephiles among us.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Postdeadline mound magician Tyler Mahle hits the market, too.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of hits
Noun
  • However, this is a stellar opportunity to dig into excellent, authentic Thai dishes (no punches held on sour or spice), and the Thai Wok Omelet with blue crab and morning glory at breakfast is exceedingly memorable.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The fight took a physical toll on LaPenna The physical side of the fight became pretty clear once LaPenna started trading punches with the robots.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of punches
Verb
  • There are currently more than 85,000 customers without power across the Northeast, including New York City and Connecticut, as an intensifying early-season nor’easter slams the region with strong wind, soaking rain and coastal flooding.
    — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Not thunder, not cobwebs, not a door that slams itself for union reasons.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of slams

Browse Nearby Words

swaths
swats
swatted
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Cite this Entry

“Swats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swats. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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