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
Pissed, Mary switches the set off. Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 Time to switch things up with a slider, which Schanuel also got a piece of. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Noun
The switch is located on the back of your Fingerling. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026 From dot-com darling to infrastructure workhorse Founded in 1984, Cisco is traditionally known as the backbone of the internet—its routers, switches, and networking hardware have powered enterprise and carrier networks for decades. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • Like Haiti goalkeeper Josué Duverger, who will swap regional soccer in Germany to rub shoulders with Brazil superstars like Vinícius Júnior and Neymar.
    James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
  • If a competitor could publish the same piece with their logo swapped in and nothing else changed, the content isn’t doing its job.
    Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • But flicking through Will Jeanes’ numerical breakdown of their rise to the top, I was reminded of just how steep a hill Mikel Arteta had to climb.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • Madrigal flicked a slick pass back to a charging Mukhtar for the finish from the right corner of the six-yard box in the 13th minute.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Perhaps the best example of that is how much Ware has been utilized in zone defense, an approach that some might contend is hiding the 2024 first-round pick from the direct challenges of his position.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 May 2026
  • Metal-poor stars are often associated with ancient dwarf galaxies, which the Milky Way might have consumed over time to grow to its current massive state — and remnants of these cosmic meals might be hiding deep within the galaxy.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • But that decline was reversed, thanks to a 1972 DDT ban and the bald eagles’ listing as an endangered species in 1978.
    Sarah Raza, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
  • Harbaugh plans to run a grueling training camp to try to better prepare the Giants for their early season games, but reversing a decade-plus of bad organizational habits and starts might take time.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 May 2026
  • At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Scientists are learning more about the underlying mechanisms of the whip, according to a presentation at this week’s meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Philadelphia.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
  • Gone are the Labrinth needle-drops and kinetic camerawork — whip-pans and dolly zooms have given way to wide shots on 65mm, as its cast of hot young actors delve deeper into a vast wasteland where hope does not spring eternal.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Under the flaps of his jacket there was a small tear in his T-shirt, directly over his left nipple, which protruded like a knot of purple rope.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
  • Just about the most-surprising thing that happened during our ordeal was that the wolves came up to our very tent flap every night in spite of the dreadful weather.
    Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • What began as a tongue-in-cheek swipe against remarks made by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of India has snowballed into a satirical political movement on social media.
    Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 May 2026
  • As renowned cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson explains, consumers are gravitating toward multitasking formulas that deliver both color and skin-care benefits in a single swipe.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 22 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 25 May. 2026.

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