switch 1 of 2

Definition of switchnext
1
as in to swap
to give up (something) and take something else in return switched the real grapes for fake ones switched the day of his flight from Thursday to Friday

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2
as in to flick
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions cows lazily switching their tails and chewing their cud

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3
4
as in to reverse
to change (as an opinion) to the contrary a politician who has switched his position on a number of issues

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

switch

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in flick
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down that telltale switch of the cat's tail meant there was a mouse under the piano

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3

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 switch
Verb
But the winner of that primary won’t face Green, because Green switched to running in the new 18th Congressional District. Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026 But without the push-pull of switching between Grace and Leon, the game starts to drag like an overly long action movie. Jay Peters, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
As for episode 2, Fogelman says fans can expect another switch-up of sorts. Samantha Highfill, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026 The fan has six speeds and switches from downdraft to updraft with the remote controller. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • With just five suitcases and their Shih Tzu Bubbles in tow, the family – Thorn, 43, husband Blair, 44, and their children Eva and Chase – swapped their home in New Zealand’s capital for a place in Melbourne – a third larger at the same price.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
  • The Bruins made their first trade of the deadline day, swapping minor leaguers with the Philadelphia Flyers.
    Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • From the opening kick-off, Dewsbury-Hall had flicked the ball up and volleyed it high downfield, forcing Burnley defender Joe Worrall into an early clearance.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Carranza flicked on a header for an assist Jason Jason Moreno chipped the goalkeeper to finish the play.
    NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Over the past year, assaults against ICE personnel have risen 8,000%, according to the DHS, and federal police have opted to hide their faces and identities while working in public.
    Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 8 Mar. 2026
  • An East Price Hill man is accused of hiding in wait before fatally shooting a woman at an Avondale apartment building, according to Cincinnati police.
    Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The police truck idled for a moment before reversing down the street, drawing a round of applause from the crowd that had formed on the block.
    Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Combined with inflation pressures from rising oil prices, that could reverse the recent downward trend in mortgage rates, experts say.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The dog ignored him, and licked the boy’s face.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026
  • At Nadeau’s Ice Sculptures, the oldest carving factory in America, a team of former archaeologists and butchers creates ephemeral art designed to be licked, touched, and eventually, lost.
    Blair Braverman, Outside, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • John Cornyn, first elected in 2002, is a longtime incumbent and former Texas attorney general who also served as Senate Republican whip.
    Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Riders who might like more oomph aboard Galacticoaster should finagle seats on the back row, which experiences a touch more whip action.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Linking these rooms is a massive sunken living room that, when the flaps are open, bleeds seamlessly into the deck with its deep couches and plunge pool.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
  • The Andessa hits at the middle of the thigh and has a flap that covers your bum—perfect for sitting on a near-frozen chairlift.
    Outside, Outside, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • With the swipe of a finger, a video plays.
    Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Lashscape Lengthening, Lifting Mascara delivers 12 hours of smudge-resistant lift, length and curl in a single swipe.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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