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 Team co-owner Heather Gibbs said watching the teammates race so hard was like kids on a family vacation swatting at each other in the backseat. —

ABC News, 31 May 2026 Everyone is swatting and waving bugs away. —

Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 30 May 2026 Officers quickly determined the call was likely a swatting attempt after meeting with security personnel already stationed at the property and finding no evidence of gunfire. —

Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 28 May 2026 Weather experts, emergency managers, and other officials do not need to waste time swatting down viral rumors and innuendo. —

Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026 At Roland Garros three years ago, doubles player Miyu Kato and her partner Aldila Sutjiadi were defaulted after Kato accidentally hit a ball kid in the neck when returning a ball to her — not even swatting it in frustration — because the ball kid was in tears. —

James Hansen, New York Times, 21 May 2026 Warm summer nights are made for backyard dinners and poolside hangs — not swatting flies away from your burger every five seconds. —

Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026 There was all these swatting incidents. —

Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was the target of a swatting call the same day as the Villanova incident. —

Laura Fay, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swatting

Verb

Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2026
As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.

— Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 2 June 2026