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
Groups usually switch out the lead skier often to avoid exhausting one person. Sacbee.com, 9 Mar. 2026 This actually reps the second time Rosenthal has switched platforms for his food travel series. Michael Schneider, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
Will the Golden Knights flip some proverbial switch in mid-April? Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2026 Oil and gas wells don’t operate like light switches. Jordan Blum, Fortune, 7 Mar. 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 10 Mar. 2026.

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