swish 1 of 3

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

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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

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swish

2 of 3

verb

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

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2

swish

3 of 3

adjective

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
With one swish of her hair, Thompson reminded us that beauty doesn’t always require bells and whistles. Larry Stansbury, Essence, 8 Jan. 2026 Just call it the dish-and-swish. Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
Submerge the gloves and gently swish them around, avoiding scrubbing or twisting. Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026 Knueppel came out hot and swished his first three shots beyond the arc and ended up tossing in 34 points, connecting on 10 of 16 attempts and going 8 for 12 from 3-point range. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
When Barca hosted Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stages in September, Laporta and his counterpart Nasser Al-Khelaifi happily posed together for the cameras before lunch at the Catalan capital’s swish Via Veneto restaurant. Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Elsewhere on this level is a swish office with a skylight and a plush lounge. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for swish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swish
Noun
  • The turnaround started as soon as the second-half whistle sounded, with TCU starting the half on an 18-3 run powered by a three-point barrage from Miles, Donovyn Hunter, Taylor Bigby and Suárez.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The relief of the home fans at the final whistle was palpable.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The frenulum is the thin flap of skin that connects your lip to your gum.
    Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
  • The frenulum is the thin flap of skin that connects the lip to the gum.
    Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the Bronx Zoo in New York has revived its annual tradition of naming one of the zoo’s thousands of Madagascar hissing cockroaches for $15.
    Julian Torres, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Why Madagascar hissing cockroaches are actually romantic Naming a roach for Valentine’s Day is a great gag, but also these critters are capable of hissing their way into your heart.
    Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The name Dekopin in Japanese refers to flicking someone on the forehead with a finger, typically as a lighthearted punishment or joke.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
  • In Japanese, the word refers to flicking someone on the forehead with a finger, typically as a lighthearted punishment or joke.
    Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • As the hotel’s social centerpiece, the heated saltwater pool offers a menu of tropical cocktails and savory bites of shrimp ceviche, served in stylish cabanas.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Next door at the Locust, James Cook discusses Cafe des Artistes, Ocean Drive’s newest mecca for the young and stylish.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Flager vouches for the design of this pair, with fabric genuinely designed to keep you comfortable—and with three secure pockets, including a zip pocket, any everyday essential is easy to keep close.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2026
  • In the midst of the interview, and sips of boba, Fleming takes off a fuzzy looking quarter-zip, only to reveal another, even brighter, quarter-zip underneath it.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Return soup to clean large saucepan and whisk in remaining 1 cup broth.
    Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Add milk, butter, and vanilla; whisk until just combined.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • As the exomoon orbits its host, its gravity swings the planet around their common center of gravity, called the barycenter.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Bridgerton, with its consciously diverse vision of a Regency world, feels like a project conceived in a more inclusive moment; the pendulum has since swung the other way.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swish. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.

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