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
-
While other animals such as rats and mice are also known to have laryngeal whistles, the study says that horses are believed to be the only animals known to combine the whistle with vocal fold vibrations to create a single, dual sound call.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
-
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
-
In Whale’s picture, the bride doesn’t talk — only screams or hisses like an irritated cat — and is brought to life 5 minutes before the credits roll.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
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
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Brobbey flicks the ball into the path of Diarra, who carries it into the vacated space, before his shot deflects off Axel Tuanzebe and gives Sunderland the lead.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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As a director, his credits include A Family Man starring Gerard Butler, as well as the Liam Neeson flicks Honest Thief and Blacklight.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The women’s proposition sees quarter-zips (a key trend of the season, popularized by Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel runway), polo tops, tees and shirts of many kinds, colors and finishes–short- and long-sleeve–with generous use of checks and stripes.—
Alice Cary,
Vogue,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Clever, funny and visually appealing, Daniel Chong’s nutty action comedy zips along, driven by rambunctious energy and a spirited Mark Mothersbaugh score.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To clean your garbage disposal, Lane suggests starting by cleaning the rubber flaps by using dish soap and a brush or an old toothbrush to scrub the rubber flaps that line the disposal.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
-
New features like active aero (flaps that open on the front and rear wings) help forge a much closer relationship between the engine and the chassis around it.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Teddy bears and textbooks, camping gear stacked against her husband’s drum kit, a jumble of whisks and frying pans catching the morning sun.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
-
In a clean bowl with clean whisks, beat egg whites on high speed until foamy.—
Sarah Carey,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many critics, political pundits, and wags asked, somewhat rhetorically, whether anyone in the administration recalls how handing the responsibility of nuclear weaponry over to machines turned out in the Terminator movies.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2026
-
One hums with high-speed drills and anxiety; the other echoes with joyful barks and tail wags.—
Henry I. Miller,
STAT,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tender early growth is vulnerable when the weather swings back to freezing.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Software swings Salesforce bounced last week following a sustained period of underperformance.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swishes. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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