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
Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
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
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
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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
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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
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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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In the video, the snake flicks its tongue, a common sensory behavior used to detect chemical cues in the air and identify nearby prey or potential predators.—
Jasmine Mendez
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
-
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
Noun
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That the girls are identically dressed, and have the same strengths and skillsets, leads to a flattening of impact and action choreography, and the occasional obfuscation of who is actually doing what when the camera zips by.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Alex Garcia’s cheeseburger tartare is a mound of rib-eye sliced by hand into dice-sized squares of meat, dressed in a vinaigrette that zips with pickle brine, soy, mustard and even a squirt or two of ketchup.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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View gallery - 7 images A wooden dragon sculpture that gently flaps its wings has become a crowd-funding hit, but after seeing the traditional handcrafted work that's been put into every single model, making each one unique, the value of such a piece becomes strikingly clear.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
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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
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The West Side’s 16th District, which swings from Cicero, Lyons and Riverside up through Melrose Park, features a three-way race steeped in tangled histories.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The next big weather maker swings through the area on Tuesday, causing the chance of severe weather.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swishes. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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