swishing

present participle of swish
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

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 swishing One displays images of water swishing around the screen’s golden frame. Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Rinse the blueberries under cold running water, gently swishing them around with your hands to ensure all the berries are exposed to water. Martha Stewart, 3 July 2026 The Western Ghats mountains tumble down the west coast of India like a breaking wave, swishing through six states and across nearly 1,000 miles. Susan D'arcy, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2026 In other words, avoid swishing seltzers in your mouth, drinking a lot of them or even sipping one throughout the day. The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026 The Oregon Zoo’s official TikTok account posted footage of a bear swishing around in a tub filled with ice and water, rolling on his back and kicking his feet before shaking water off. Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2026 The Illinois freshman then spun to his left and hopped back behind the 3-point line, swishing his second 3-pointer of the night. Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026 In the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ blowout win against Sacramento, James bounced off the balls of his feet down the court with his unmistakable bow-legged gait after swishing a 3. Dan Woike, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026 My child attended daycare and summer programs at Pillsbury United Communities center just four blocks away, where a multiracial cohort of kids happily play through the winter, swishing around in bulky jackets and snow pants, bouncing towards their parents. Bao Phi, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swishing
Verb
  • But delivering that level of craft in a high-octane room where the hissing espresso machine competes with the bassline?
    Carly Boers, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • And in 2022, Japanese researchers turned a Madagascar hissing cockroach into a cyborg for search-and-rescue missions using a similar, though more sophisticated, approach.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • When the chute opened, Paper Cut thrashed across the arena until, at the sound of the buzzer, Jacobson launched himself off the animal and staggered away, his chaps flapping.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The cast are clustered around a table of props and despite her disappointment at the lack of hag wigs, Dale Dickey is flapping a fishing net like a seafaring matador.
    Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Within a few minutes, Hutchinson has his mobile out, happily flicking through the screensavers.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • His violent men — Scott’s sinister dad and Melton’s sad one — light cigarettes by flicking matches on their ears and teeth.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • Green said his symptoms began when his feet started twitching in his sleep.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • Somewhere, John Tortorella's eye is twitching with rage after that.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • Allow a hair dryer to cool down before switching attachments, since the end of the hair dryer can get very hot after use.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Treatment decisions are highly individualized and stopping or switching therapy requires careful discussion with an oncology team.
    Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But the calm day gave way to terror when her uncle again looked out into the ocean and saw Summer’s head bobbing in and out of the water.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • And when the sun is shining, that also means the water’s sparkling, sailboats are bobbing, and seagulls are cawing.
    Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swishing. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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