1
as in hissing
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
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2
as in flapping
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 swishing
The Rockets have already started releasing videos of Şengün running pick-and-rolls as the ballhandler and swishing 3-pointers during the first few days of training camp.
—
William Guillory, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
William Guillory, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swishing
Verb
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My pal was in deep slumber, breathed through this kind of hissing accordion.—
Sam Lipsyte,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
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And, that there was a goblin, squatting in my skull, rattling a metal pail full of bolts and hissing failure, rot, spoil.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But its appeal can’t be divorced from the romance of its history, which properly began in the 19th century when English polo players began wearing oxford shirts as their preferred uniform, complete with collars that buttoned against the body to prevent their points from flapping in the wind.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
6 Oct. 2025
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Above it all, flapping in the wind, there’s the stars and stripes, that latecomer flag to native nations.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While a wagging dog’s tail might indicate excitement or friendliness, a flicking cat’s tail can signal irritation.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
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Only the paintings bore witness to her intense, solitary writing sessions, conducted in the studio by night, Stein flicking the pages of her notebooks with hardly a pause, until dawn birdsong disturbed her concentration.—
Francesca Wade,
Air Mail,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Any dairy farmer can tell you that biting flies are a pestilent scourge for cattle herds, which is why one so often sees cows throwing their heads, stamping their feet, flicking their tails, and twitching their skin—desperately trying to shake off the nasty creatures.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
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Prior to the 2024 incident, Mangione reportedly shared information on Reddit about a number of health issues, including struggles with back pain, brain fog, and twitching leg muscles.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Fake applause, no support or faithful and never switching.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
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The Alexa voice remote makes searching and switching between shows easy, and setup takes only a few minutes.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That mute minute in an otherwise ever-bobbing, ever-shouting crowd (a portion of which camped outside the Spectrum Center) was a testament to Eilish’s ability to hold her own on a stage that — other than the occasional burst of fire and blitzing lights — had little frill.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
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The kitchen was empty, save for an enormous stockpot of broth, with chicken feet bobbing at the surface.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swishing. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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