swimming

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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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 The first-place winner for the 3-mile race was professional swimmer Eric Hedlin, a 32-year-old who has won two world championship medals in the 5-kilometer open-water race while swimming for Team Canada. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025 In 2021, Bovino led journalists in swimming across the All-American Canal, whose deceptively swift current and smooth concrete lining result in migrant deaths every year. Elliot Spagat, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 But over the years, his halcyon memories of swimming there with family and friends have darkened to a cold, isolated present. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025 Nearly every water excursion imaginable (snorkeling, boating, fishing, scalloping, kayaking, and swimming with manatees) is available for embarkation directly from the resort. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for swimming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swimming
Verb
  • Scott appeared to have done his job, spinning a full-count slider below the strike zone that Lee chased.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Ledford is a songwriter to watch, spinning urgent, gripping tales of life’s ups and downs in the midst of a wildly colorful and psychedelic musical universe.
    Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In 2025, Thorne’s Netflix miniseries Adolescence became a global juggernaut, sailing to the top of streaming charts and sparking international conversation.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Products sailing out of Busan can be moved via two active trans-Pacific services that stop at the Port of Los Angeles.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • No more hovering at the oven door.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • One way or the other, the current mood doesn’t feel sustainable, and the Penguins can’t enter the season with this speculation hovering over their heads.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • It’s designed to feel like a floating loft at sea, and, if built, will represent a completely new direction for Benetti.
    Katia Damborsky, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • For a longer journey, Johnson is impartial to his Osprey Aether pack for its airscape back panels, floating lids, and signature Fit on the Fly adjustments.
    Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sightseeing boats depart regularly from Nyhavn and Gammel Strand, gliding past landmarks such as the Opera House, Christiansborg Palace and the Little Mermaid.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The feeling of gliding through the water, along with the sense of flow and focus, keeps her coming back to the lanes.
    Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Any cell drifting in the skies is blasted with UV rays and desiccated.
    Katherine Bourzac, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Even an imperfect north star is better than drifting rudderless.
    Dr. Jonathan Reichental, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swimming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swimming. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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