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
Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
With the session ticking towards the two-hour mark, Mudryk switches to shots from outside the box.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Executive chef Tim Charles switches up menus daily, although a few staples like the moose burger and lobster and kale broth make repeat appearances.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
Now, just like daylight saving time, California switches back and forth from winter-formula gasoline to summer-formula gasoline.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
And by the middle of the 19th century, English mathematics switches over to Leibniz’s notation, and the transformation is really complete.
—John Pavlus, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
While the morning encourages bouncing around like that, a harmonious lunar trine to transformative Pluto later switches the galaxy’s focus to deeper questions.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Over WhatsApp and at their regular gatherings, the group seamlessly switches back and forth between Mandarin and English while seeking to stick to Mandarin as much as possible.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
When carb intake is low, your body switches to ketones as an alternate energy source.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 16 Mar. 2026
Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Instead, Boston stations him away from the basketball, the keeper of the weak side, free to flick away passes, kill screening actions with switches and, somehow, block shots.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
For his offensive gifts, the 7-foot-1 center is far from a deterrent at the rim and even less effective on switches.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
According to Razer, these new switches deliver even stronger competitive performance, feature a 100-million click lifecycle, and have 12% lighter actuation for cleaner, faster clicks.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Operators had to manually throw switches and help load wheelchairs, since the old models only had stairs.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026
As switches proliferated, the gun safety campaign group Everytown lobbied individual American cities to bring litigation against Glock.
—Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
Bedside touch panels control lighting, temperature, and window shades without the usual hunt for switches.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
The lens switches from distant to close subjects in a snap.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
With the session ticking towards the two-hour mark, Mudryk switches to shots from outside the box.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Executive chef Tim Charles switches up menus daily, although a few staples like the moose burger and lobster and kale broth make repeat appearances.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
Now, just like daylight saving time, California switches back and forth from winter-formula gasoline to summer-formula gasoline.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
And by the middle of the 19th century, English mathematics switches over to Leibniz’s notation, and the transformation is really complete.
—John Pavlus, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
While the morning encourages bouncing around like that, a harmonious lunar trine to transformative Pluto later switches the galaxy’s focus to deeper questions.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Over WhatsApp and at their regular gatherings, the group seamlessly switches back and forth between Mandarin and English while seeking to stick to Mandarin as much as possible.
—Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
When carb intake is low, your body switches to ketones as an alternate energy source.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
Lumentum has said that its optical circuit switches (OCS) are on track to reach $400 million in sales in the second half of 2026, followed by an acceleration of the business in 2027.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Instead, Boston stations him away from the basketball, the keeper of the weak side, free to flick away passes, kill screening actions with switches and, somehow, block shots.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
For his offensive gifts, the 7-foot-1 center is far from a deterrent at the rim and even less effective on switches.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
According to Razer, these new switches deliver even stronger competitive performance, feature a 100-million click lifecycle, and have 12% lighter actuation for cleaner, faster clicks.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Operators had to manually throw switches and help load wheelchairs, since the old models only had stairs.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026
As switches proliferated, the gun safety campaign group Everytown lobbied individual American cities to bring litigation against Glock.
—Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
Bedside touch panels control lighting, temperature, and window shades without the usual hunt for switches.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switches
Verb
-
Boston’s second-most common lineup since Tatum’s return, which swaps Pritchard in for Hauser alongside the other four starters, has outscored opponents by 56 points over 48 minutes.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
-
While strawberry shortcakes are usually made with biscuits, this recipe swaps them for tender little cakes baked in muffin tins.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The structure flaps its wings when powered by electricity.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
-
View gallery - 7 images A wooden dragon sculpture that gently flaps its wings has become a crowd-funding hit, but after seeing the traditional handcrafted work that's been put into every single model, making each one unique, the value of such a piece becomes strikingly clear.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
What truly sets it apart is the Corner Rover Arm, a unique extendable side brush that reaches into the nooks and crannies where pet hair typically hides.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Unruly salt-and-pepper hair in a long quaff, round glasses and broad smile give James Ortiz the look of a whimsical inventor, the kind that hides away in his workshop crafting extraordinary artifacts.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Other deputies administered Narcan, an over-the-counter nasal spray or injection that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses, on the sick deputy.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
-
That kind of move is common after a strong rally, especially as investors begin locking in gains and the momentum reverses.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
-
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His tail whips against the stalks of flowers planted by the woman who recently moved there with him.—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Johnson is one of two majority whips.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
More than a dozen films grossed over $100 million in China in 2017, but only two flicks have reached that milestone annually over the last several years.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Watch On Longing for the colorful tumbling force of fantastic '80s-era sci-fi sword-and-sorcery flicks that dominated multiplexes and mom-and-pop video rental shops in the Reagan years?—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The 42-year-old Swanson overmatched Landwehr with a bevy of punches to the head before referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight with 54 seconds left in the opening round.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
This Midwestern city, which hosted the country’s first-ever rock concert in 1952, punches above its weight in everything from cuisine to the arts to parks, and is home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, often cited as one of Ohio’s top tourist attractions.—
Paul J. Heney,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Switches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switches. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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