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
The sprawling centers are filled with banks of specialized computers that process online shopping orders, stream movies, host websites, encode Zoom and other videoconferencing apps, store data and serve as switching stations for the digital world that’s now woven into daily life. Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026 Investors are increasingly switching to industrial applications, such as humanoid robots and drones. Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
The switch was so new, Jadin didn’t even have a contract from Trident. Scott Pham, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026 No keyboard cover today compares with one attached to a traditional laptop, regardless of backlighting or key-switch innovations. PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • While Gruev has been dependable, swapping him in for a striker like Nmecha is, surely, too conservative.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
  • High above downtown Dallas, workers in harnesses moved carefully along the steel framework of Reunion Tower this week, swapping out aging light fixtures one by one as traffic moved below.
    Michael Cuviello, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • David flicked, a 3-pointer swished, and the junior stretched his vocal cords to the cavernous audience at the Coliseum with an early dagger.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Zumwinkle darted along the left wall, cut in along the goal line and flicked a shot behind goaltended Kayle Osborne that deflected off the crossbar and into the net to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead just past the midway point in the first period.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Justin Cappos, a professor of computer science at New York University, who studies software supply-chain security, likens the attack to a typewriter hiding a second message in plain sight.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2026
  • As a main guideline, think about ribcage jeans as an opportunity to actually showcase your waist rather than hiding it.
    Dino Bonačić, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The surge is also hitting refinance demand, not just purchases, as higher rates have reversed activity that had briefly improved earlier in the month.
    Jake Angelo, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
  • But in 243 men’s basketball games at home arenas in the Southeastern Conference this season, there were 128 total challenges; 85 were reversed and 43 calls stood, a 2-to-1 ratio.
    Maura Carey, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The department shared photos of Ziggy, still wearing a bandage on his left hind leg, jumping up and licking Spring's face during a recent visit.
    Neal Riley, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Seals off The San Diego Seals (6-8) are off this weekend and licking their wounds following a crushing 9-8 home loss to Buffalo on Saturday.
    Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Johnson is one of two majority whips.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The character was meant to be this character who occasionally would come down from his office and whip people into shape.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Arriving for the Enthronement Ceremony to install Dame Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury this afternoon, the Princess carried a classic Chanel flap bag, which, for the eagle-eyed onlooker, appeared pre-crumpled.
    Olivia Allen, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The glue slowly hardens, giving surgeons time to position the flap.
    Jolene Edgar, Allure, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • One quick swipe lifts away leftover buildup, leaving skin smoother, clearer, and ready for the rest of your routine.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Mar. 2026
  • When Zuccarello took a swipe with his stick and smacked McCarron in the leg, the big man responded with a Oscar-worthy acting job, feigning like he had been slashed on the wrist.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

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