1
2
as in flaps
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
1
as in hisses
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 flicks
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swishes
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
Drain out the dirty water, then refill with clean, lukewarm water and give the scarf a few more swishes.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swishes
Noun
-
Mrtka was actively involved between the whistles and after the whistle, using his size to clear the net and get under opponents’ skin.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
If steam bubbles and hisses out of the end grain as the firewood heats up on the fire, the wood is wet or green and needs to be seasoned longer before burning.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Think Judd Apatow flicks with Steve Carell and Seth Rogen, or sitcoms starring Charlie Sheen.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Like a true professional, the actor quickly flicks the photo and extinguishes the blaze without ever breaking character — despite internally freaking out — to nail the perfect shot.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Primaloft Black Eco insulation kept me toasty on 15-degree lift rides at Bolton Valley Ski Resort, while extra-long flank zips are great for dumping heat on the way down.—
Benjamin Tepler,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Their quarter zips are also worth a browse, especially the Seasoft Quarter-zip for just $39 in a bright light purple that your dreary winter wardrobe needs.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the canonical metaphorical example, a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, and the cascading sequence of atmospheric perturbations leads to a tornado in Texas.—
Dan Garisto,
Scientific American,
22 Oct. 2025
-
That goes for Jimmy Kimmel and for anybody who flaps their gums for a living.—
Jesse Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Beyond silverware, kitchen tools—like whisks and spatulas—aren’t usually uniform pieces that can be stacked on top of one another in a drawer divider.—
Bridget Reed Morawski,
Architectural Digest,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That has, at least, spawned a rich stream of social media content, with wags across the world editing iconic cricket clips with the commentary coming before them.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
When Cody the golden retriever was introduced to his new sibling, his owner probably would have hoped for some happy tail wags and some curious sniffs to show his curiosity.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
At 21 seconds, the person filming the video drives past the confrontation, and the camera swings to the other side of the street as someone in the car yells profanities.—
Kif Leswing,Terri Cullen,
CNBC,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swishes. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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