swimming

Definition of swimmingnext
present participle of swim
1
as in spinning
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 sailing
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 swimming Tracking tags used by OCEARCH have revealed white sharks use the East Coast like a highway in the winter, swimming from Canada to warmer waters off Florida. Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 4 Feb. 2026 People can come in contact with it while swimming or using tap water for a neti pot. Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026 When Ahrens’ team disabled the astrocytes using a laser, the fish never stopped swimming. Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026 While the mighty megalodon is not swimming along the shores of the Bay State now, the enormous prehistoric shark relative once dominated the shallow seas that covered Maryland and the rest of the Atlantic coastal plain. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swimming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swimming
Verb
  • The crisp writing moves the story at nearly head-spinning pace.
    Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
  • But this night wasn't just about spinning the most.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This aerial view shows the Taiwanese cargo ship Yang Ming sailing out of the Panama Canal on the Pacific side in Panama City on October 6, 2025.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Later research, using records from the International Maritime Organization, showed that of the 204 reports of piracy and armed robbery worldwide in 2017, only three occurred in the region where Dad was sailing.
    Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • However, summer is typhoon season in Taiwan, and the weather is very toasty and muggy with highs regularly hovering around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Gold prices have been on a record-breaking roller coaster — after reaching an all-time high of more than $5,100 in late January, the precious metal's price has been hovering around the $5,000-per-ounce mark in mid-February.
    Liz Knueven, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Community ‘heartbroken’ over sewage spill Philip Gray used to enjoy paddling down the river in a canoe or floating in an inner tube, beer in hand, toward his home in Cabin John.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
  • So far, the data is limited on the efficacy of dry floating compared to wet floating.
    Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Imagine the comfort of a Ritz-Carlton suite gliding along the Mediterranean, stopping at 28 ports across 10 countries.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Just as your boots are your foundation for gliding, your base layer is your foundation for comfort.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • That experience of drifting and searching directly shaped the film’s narrative structure.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
  • However, blowing and drifting snow producing significant visibility restrictions will continue above 6000 feet elevation, even during the break in snowfall.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swimming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swimming. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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