1
as in swaps
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in flaps
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions
cows lazily switching their tails and chewing their cud
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in hides
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
switched the stagecoach horses to control the direction they took
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in reverses
to change (as an opinion) to the contrary
a politician who has switched his position on a number of issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in licks
to strike repeatedly
the loose rigging switched the mast during the storm
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in whips
a long thin or flexible tool for striking
struck the horse's hide with a leather switch, and it took off at a gallop
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in flicks
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in punches
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
in frustration, he gave the mule a sharp switch on the rump, but it still wouldn't budge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of switches
Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
The clip then switches to show a pink horse and a pair of pink cowboy boots, which are slowly lowered to reveal her daughter's name.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
If the bad experiences persist, the consumer gradually switches banks.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Scalable architecture and new ion design Helios introduces a new ion-trap architecture that switches from ytterbium to barium qubits.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
The near-tonal looks have been a successful recipe for the 204L thus far, although this particular pair switches things up slightly with its two-tone pink look.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
The video later switches to an aerial view, showing a megapod of dolphins, all moving in synchrony across the water.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
If a team switches frequently in and out of tempo plays, scouts can bring that back to coaches, who will install similar periods in practice.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
When the surface bite slows, Zaremba switches to bucktail jigs and Rat-L-Traps, which can be worked deeper.
—Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
Stephen Kearse, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2025
The lunch menu switches from traditional Brazilian dishes to an international buffet on Saturdays, and an English roast dinner on Sundays.
—Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
These tiny switches power the circuits that make devices function.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
Although the video began in black-and-white, when Alaina and Moeller pull the poppers, the video switches to color and reveals that the backdrop behind them features pink and blue flowers.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Cheaper options or knock-offs tend to come with flimsy sockets, buzzing ballasts, or unreliable switches, which can make rooms look cheap or dated far sooner than expected and even create fire hazards.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
Spray it on doorknobs and handles, stovetops, countertops, refrigerator shelves, and light switches.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
Contactors are high-voltage switches that connect the battery pack to the rest of the vehicle's system.
—PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
On defense, the switches happened seamlessly and relentlessly, with Green acting as the board operator.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
The two-act play starts in a Greek marketplace, then switches to a college professor’s office.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
The clip then switches to show a pink horse and a pair of pink cowboy boots, which are slowly lowered to reveal her daughter's name.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
If the bad experiences persist, the consumer gradually switches banks.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Scalable architecture and new ion design Helios introduces a new ion-trap architecture that switches from ytterbium to barium qubits.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
The near-tonal looks have been a successful recipe for the 204L thus far, although this particular pair switches things up slightly with its two-tone pink look.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
The video later switches to an aerial view, showing a megapod of dolphins, all moving in synchrony across the water.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
If a team switches frequently in and out of tempo plays, scouts can bring that back to coaches, who will install similar periods in practice.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
When the surface bite slows, Zaremba switches to bucktail jigs and Rat-L-Traps, which can be worked deeper.
—Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
In terms of sheer ability, Brown has no trouble navigating these bustling beats, which are packed with rhythms, drops, switches, and sound effects.
—Stephen Kearse, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2025
The lunch menu switches from traditional Brazilian dishes to an international buffet on Saturdays, and an English roast dinner on Sundays.
—Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
These tiny switches power the circuits that make devices function.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
Although the video began in black-and-white, when Alaina and Moeller pull the poppers, the video switches to color and reveals that the backdrop behind them features pink and blue flowers.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Cheaper options or knock-offs tend to come with flimsy sockets, buzzing ballasts, or unreliable switches, which can make rooms look cheap or dated far sooner than expected and even create fire hazards.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
Spray it on doorknobs and handles, stovetops, countertops, refrigerator shelves, and light switches.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
Contactors are high-voltage switches that connect the battery pack to the rest of the vehicle's system.
—PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
On defense, the switches happened seamlessly and relentlessly, with Green acting as the board operator.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switches
Verb
-
Gabriel swaps Arj’s life with a wealthy venture capitalist, Jeff (Seth Rogen), but the plan backfires when Arj is convinced his newfound wealth has, in fact, solved all his problems.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
That swaps democratic ownership for judicial improvisation and guarantees more litigation as a strategy.—
Bedassa Tadesse,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In the canonical metaphorical example, a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, and the cascading sequence of atmospheric perturbations leads to a tornado in Texas.—
Dan Garisto,
Scientific American,
22 Oct. 2025
-
That goes for Jimmy Kimmel and for anybody who flaps their gums for a living.—
Jesse Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Oscar’s grouchy shell hides a strangely tender soul, which is classic Scorpio.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
-
As a whole, Kennedy’s doc, which is seeking distribution, is a raw behind-the-scenes look at a polarizing public figure who often hides behind wrath or self-deprecation.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This decision reverses a previous stance after two federal judges ruled against withholding the funds.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The guidance, which offers a new interpretation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, reverses policies advanced under former President Joe Biden that sought to empower states to expand protections for people with medical debt.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The first is Christopher Walken as Gabriel, a mean-spirited angel who sniffs and licks crime scenes and inspects children’s teeth for reasons that sort of make sense within the movie.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Posted to the account @maisythemarshmallow on September 19, the video shows the dog, named Maisy, lying calmly as the cat snuggles up and licks her face.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
WASP-39b is about the size of Saturn and whips around its sunlike star once every four days; that broiling orbit heats the planet’s dayside to 1,430 degrees Fahrenheit (776 degrees Celsius).—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Scientific American,
13 Oct. 2025
-
But Siepierski also concluded that the mansion probably was a brothel, based on what the neighbors said and the volume of racy lingerie, high heels, leather, whips and correspondence.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Those movies sent up buddy-cop films and alien-invasion flicks by way of a distinctly British perspective (there were plenty of droll asides to go along with the action scenes).—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Audiences just can’t get enough of films that offer frights and scares, or even family-friendly flicks that pay homage to spooky season.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In a video of the attack that was widely circulated on social media, one soldier is seen striking him with the barrel of his rifle, before the settler comes in to land several more punches.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The poem is littered with gut punches that would destroy me as a parent; Lee sees the poem’s beauty and appears to feel appropriate shame.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Switches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switches. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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