swish 1 of 3

noun

Definition of swishnext
1
as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out the steady swish of the windshield wipers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in flap
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down the mare brushed away the flies with a sweeping swish of her tail

Synonyms & Similar Words

swish

2 of 3

verb

ˈswish How to pronounce swish (audio)
1
as in to hiss
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ with their satin costumes swishing, the little ballerinas chasséd onto the stage

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to flick
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions the horse's tail swishes after every jump

Synonyms & Similar Words

swish

3 of 3

adjective

as in stylish
being in the latest or current fashion a trendy boutique filled with swish accessories for the urban fashionista

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 swish
Noun
Mullins launched a shot from 35 feet and … swish. — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026 Their play is a symphony of cheers and swishes, conversation and laughter, dribbling balls and rattling rims. — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Western Ghats mountains tumble down the west coast of India like a breaking wave, swishing through six states and across nearly 1,000 miles. — Susan D'arcy, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2026 When the play ends, as Kris Jenkins bends over a bit at the waist to watch his work of art swish its way into history, Mikal Bridges dashes onto the court and Josh Hart full scale piggy backs onto Phil Booth. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Adjective
There was more intrigue at the annual UTA, Curtis Brown And C&W at the Bo Tree Hotel’s swish Lavo, where new Channel 4 boss Priya Dogra was spotted chewing the fat with UTA top brass, including Curtis Brown CEO Jonny Geller. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026 The Vale can be combined with a stay at Silverstone’s swish Escapade hotel or in a luxury yurt on the inner track. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swish
  1. whistle
  2. flap
  3. hiss
  4. flick
  5. stylish
  6. zip
  7. whisk
  8. swing
Noun
  • That has been Jordan Phillips’ norm every time the whistle blow during practices, and the Miami Dolphins’ second-year nose tackle isn’t focused on impressing his new coaches.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
  • Nearly a century later in 1978, in the wake of the Watergate scandal, a second Civil Service Reform Act was passed providing further protections, including for whistle blowers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of whistle
Noun
  • The foil and keel are powered by the 800 V rear e-axle from the new Ferrari Luce and the flaps are driven by a 48 V electric motor.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 July 2026
  • Zufferey and his team discovered that the robot could launch itself successfully using only its wing size, flap frequency, and tail pitch.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of flap
Verb
  • Granny doesn’t discriminate, hissing invective at both Alice and Thya with equal venom.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • Then a hissing arrow pins a golden soccer ball to the Clash of Clans escutcheon.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of hiss
Verb
  • Kevin Rodriguez eases past Jamal Musiala to flick the ball into the corridor of uncertainty between Manuel Neuer and Jonathan Tah, who had already had a miscommunication earlier in the game.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • The action of continuously flicking a typical mouse wheel up and down can be slow and tedious as well difficult to control, even with infinite scroll wheels.
    — Shirl Leigh July 12, New Atlas, 12 July 2026
Definition of flick
Adjective
  • Even a 73-year-old shopper was impressed by its stylish, comfortable fit.
    — Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026
  • The culotte-style stretchy shorts are equal parts comfortable and stylish, and the high-neck top can be worn either tucked-in or down and loose.
    — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Definition of stylish
Noun
  • Both halves zip shut, unlike many suitcases, which either have a zippered divider on only one side or rely solely on compression pads, leaving items partially exposed.
    — Morgan Ashley Parker, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
  • The drone zips along a pre-programmed grid for 15 minutes, capturing up to 3,000 measurements.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
Definition of zip
Noun
  • Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until completely melted and incorporated.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
  • Remove the butter when it is melted but not brown, and whisk in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
Definition of whisk
Verb
  • Three tries in a seven-minute span, including two when Australian fullback Tom Wright was on the sidelines for a yellow card, swung momentum fully in favor of the back-to-back Six Nations champions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • Chip stocks — once the hottest corner of the market — also swung sharply as investors continued to question whether the AI trade had become overextended.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 11 July 2026
Definition of swing

Browse Nearby Words

swirly
swish
swished
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swish. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on swish

Nglish: Translation of swish for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about swish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All