Thesaurus results for SWATTING

swatting

verb

present participle of swat

as in smacking

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

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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 swatting In May, Barrett’s security detail worked with police to quickly deal with the call determined to be swatting, or a fake 911 call designed to provoke a police response. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 Barrett’s home was also targeted by a swatting call to police in May. — Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 Kessler catches an empty side screen involving Anfernee Simons and calmly plays in drop, backpedals smoothly, slides laterally for a stride, opens his hips and tricks Simons to shoot before swatting it away with his left hand. — Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 July 2026 The worry was that adding sixteen teams would mean blowouts, the big sides swatting away the small ones. — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 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 Police are investigating a swatting incident that targeted a school and Walmart in Hamden on Wednesday. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026 Wembanyama reacted by swatting Brunson away, placing his hand near the back of Brunson’s neck and pushing him to the floor. — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swatting

Verb

Heavy raindrops flew sideways, smacking against the hood of my rain jacket and creating a nearly deafening white noise.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026
With a Triple-A pitcher called up for a spot start and a utilityman smacking an early two-run homer, the Boston Red Sox, having now won eight straight games, keep winning with an unlikely formula.

— Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

The New York Yankees want to add a right-handed hitting catcher, and the Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers still appears to be their most obvious target.

— Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 21 July 2026
But what does Porsha being a liar have to do with Shamea hitting below the belt unprompted?

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 20 July 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

Brussels, however, was less charitable with EU regulators slapping a fine of 890 million euros ($1 billion) on Google, its first penalty under the Digital Markets Act, for favoring its own services.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 July 2026
Twenty wrestlers are committed to slipping on their mawashi loincloths (don’t call it a diaper), stomping to signal their readiness (that’s a shiko) and doing some belly-slapping grappling.

— Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of slapping

Verb

Over the past several months, Taylor has accused Mortensen in court of stalking and, on one occasion, slamming her head into the dashboard of his truck.

— Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Because of this tremendous heat, hydrogen atoms in the inner core of stars are zipping along at incredible speeds and slamming into each other with astonishing violence.

— Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 19 July 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

The surveillance footage released by police in 2012 from the night before the murder showed a person in a hoodie and baggy pants walking up the stairs outside Chavez’s apartment and knocking on the door.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Jay Harry is knocking at the door Blue Jays designated hitter Sean Keys had a front-row seat for Jay Harry’s breakout season.

— Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of knocking

Verb

Trey Songz has avoided jail time following his arrest last year over allegedly punching an employee at a nightclub in New York City.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026
But that hasn’t stopped one of the country’s increasingly renowned grape-growing regions from punching well above its weight.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 18 July 2026

Definition of punching

Verb

Part of Ludwig Göransson’s score is based on the sound of banging pieces of bronze, which turn out to be the alarm bells of Troy, a warning of violence that echoes throughout the film.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Then the team did it, sitting on the field after beating Ivory Coast to reach the round of 16, with captain Martin Odegaard banging the drum.

— Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026

Definition of banging

Verb

Larry Hayes, 86, and Bill Moniz, 79, hit the tennis courts in Mountain View three to four times a week — whacking balls across the net as teammates for one to three hours a week.

— Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
And the crowd clearly expected that pucks whacking the nets would be at a premium in this series, too.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 May 2026

Definition of whacking

Browse Nearby Words

swatted

swatting

sway

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“Swatting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swatting. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of swatting

verb

Example Sentences

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