swim 1 of 2

Definition of swimnext
1
as in to spin
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around his head was swimming after he was given so much information on his first day at the new job

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2
as in to sail
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air there appeared to be an oily film swimming on the water

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swim

2 of 2

noun

as in trance
a temporary state of unconsciousness the merest glimpse of blood sends him into a swim

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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 swim
Verb
Since there are no lifeguards on duty, safety is key; swim at your own risk and follow the red, yellow, or green flag system. Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026 Who really needs to learn how to swim? Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
Several people, including a few children and fitness coach Jack LaLanne, have successfully made the swim across the bay over the years, according to BOP. Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026 Today, Asher is a grandmother of 11 and a great-grandmother of six — and wherever she's lived throughout her life, she's always joined local swim teams, per the SWNS report. Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swim
Verb
  • The plot that spins from this opening includes a series of events involving philosophy, parenting, mental health, disability, romance and international art terrorism that would take several columns worth to summarize.
    John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Invitees will be welcomed with Martell’s French 75 while a DJ spins the hottest beats before Davido himself arrives on Sunday, April 12.
    Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In an interview with CBS News, Aylesworth described her mother as an experienced swimmer who has been sailing for more than 10 years.
    Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Two innings later, Lopez’s first pitch to Soler was a 97 mph fastball that sailed past his head.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In that film, unassuming victims are put into a hypnotic trance by a psychic killer to then do his murdering for him, only for that violence to become even more contagious.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Then, the repetitive descending melody is interrupted and restarts; in this musical rupture the trance is broken.
    Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The younger two brothers float paper boats in the kitchen sink and Jeremy plays along, sprinkling flour on their heads—but making the kitchen a total mess.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Moments later, Glover’s attempt to read a quote from Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell gets interrupted by Reid flaunting his Canadian flag, while astronaut Christina (Sarah Sherman) floats on by, sleeping and snoring.
    William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In the band’s heyday, Anthony Kiedis, with his bare torso and long girlish copper-blond hair, looked like a ’70s teen idol who’d become a Warhol hustler – a street-flesh god like Joe Dallesandro, except that where Dallesandro was in a daze, Kiedis was a live wire.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
  • And there’s still almost an hour of film left to go, in which everyone, including the audience, is in a sort of hallucinatory, post traumatic daze — but even the relative comfort of that won’t last long.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Numbers began to skyrocket around the time of the Artemis II launch on April 1st, peaking at around 12,434 at time of writing— a huge jump against the game's standard average player count, which hovers around 3,000 to 4,000.
    Alan Bradley, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Oil prices are still hovering just below $100 per barrel as a shaky ceasefire in Iran goes into effect, but there’s a long road ahead even if the war concludes.
    Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Serving fresh seafood of the highest quality on an ever-changing menu in the heart of America’s Heartland is a task not for the faint of spirit, but attention from Bon Appetit, the New York Times and the James Beard Foundation proves the crew at Sedalia’s is more than up for the challenge.
    USA TODAY NETWORK, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • This character is classic McCarthy, from her impressive displays of anger (captured on videotape) to her repeated, dramatic fake faints.
    Charu Sinha, Vulture, 7 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Andy Peralta, 32, was riding his 2025 Zhilong scooter north on Jerome Ave.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • On March 22, police said 15-year-old Violet Harris was hit and killed by a Ford Fusion while riding an e-scooter in the 2800 block of East 77th Street.
    Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swim. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

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