Synonyms of switches

switches 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of switch

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

• swaps
• exchanges
• substitutes
• trades
• changes
• shifts
• replaces
• commutes
• interchanges
• supersedes
• displaces
• yields
• reciprocates
• cedes
• surrenders
• hands over

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

• flaps
• flicks
• swings
• waggles
• swishes
• jerks
• twitches
• bobs
• wags
• waves
• oscillates
• sways
• flutters
• rocks
• flickers
• shakes
• wavers
• flops
• whips
• flails
• lashes
• wiggles
• jolts
• nods
• jiggles
• beats
• jogs
• joggles
• jigs

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

• hides
• whips
• flicks
• slashes
• hits
• cuts
• slaps
• knocks
• flails
• lashes
• punches
• licks
• flagellates
• flogs
• thrashes
• clips
• spanks
• leathers
• scourges
• swipes
• tans
• bats
• straps
• bangs
• pounds
• boxes
• whales
• smacks
• whacks
• mauls
• birches
• horsewhips
• beats
• claps
• thumps
• cowhides
• quirts
• clubs
• socks
• canes
• swats
• knouts
• paddles
• rawhides
• hammers
• belts
• cracks
• bops
• works over
• bashes
• pelts
• lams
• cuffs
• pastes
• thwacks
• clouts
• touches up
• slugs
• slates
• cudgels
• laces
• buffets
• mangles
• clobbers
• batters
• smites
• bludgeons
• busts
• pummels
• fustigates
• threshes
• wallops
• bastes
• pistol-whips
• lambastes
• belabors
• blackjacks
• lathers
• slogs
• roughs
• fibs
• tromps
• drubs
• pommels
• whups
• bungs
• whops

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

• reverses
• overturns
• revokes
• reverts
• strikes down
• abrogates
• rescinds
• repeals
• backtracks
• annuls
• countermands
• about-faces

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• supports
• maintains
• upholds

5

as in licks

to strike repeatedly

the loose rigging switched the mast during the storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• licks
• hides
• pounds
• whips
• lashes
• hits
• attacks
• knocks
• beats
• punches
• slaps
• does
• thumps
• slams
• pelts
• smashes
• assaults
• batters
• bats
• boxes
• paddles
• spanks
• hammers
• belts
• works over
• bashes
• raids
• chops
• clubs
• mauls
• swipes
• slates
• curries
• buffets
• laces
• flogs
• punches out
• thrashes
• bludgeons
• smacks
• pummels
• threshes
• whacks
• bastes
• drubs
• tans
• lambastes
• wallops
• belabors
• storms
• lathers
• beats up on
• slogs
• tromps
• fibs
• rushes
• whales
• roughs (up)
• pommels
• messes (up)
• straps
• socks
• cracks
• descends (on or upon)
• birches
• wounds
• whups
• jumps (on)
• bungs up
• swats
• whops
• pastes
• lays on
• whams
• lams
• thwacks
• cuffs
• clouts
• clobbers
• assails
• flagellates
• besets
• busts
• lacerates
• canes
• whomps
• pounces (on or upon)
• cudgels
• leathers
• scourges
• pistol-whips
• gores
• fustigates
• mangles
• mutilates
• horsewhips
• maims
• blackjacks
• cowhides
• rawhides

switches

2 of 2

noun

plural of switch

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

• whips
• straps
• canes
• batons
• floggers
• lashes
• bats
• crops
• scourges
• knouts
• quirts
• birches
• hickories
• rattans
• flails
• bullwhips
• billy clubs
• blacksnakes
• staffs
• cat-o'-nine-tails
• bludgeons
• billies
• bastinadoes
• nightsticks
• cudgels
• clubs
• rawhides
• cowhides

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

• flaps
• flicks
• whisks
• twitches
• wags
• swings
• shakes
• waves
• wiggles
• waggles
• flutters
• nods
• rocks
• jerks
• whips
• oscillations
• swishes
• wavers
• jolts
• snaps
• sways
• bobs
• jiggles

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

• punches
• swipes
• blows
• thumps
• hits
• slaps
• thuds
• knocks
• strokes
• pounds
• whacks
• pokes
• licks
• spanks
• smacks
• hooks
• clips
• slams
• beats
• bangs
• claps
• belts
• kicks
• socks
• hacks
• fillips
• boxes
• chops
• stripes
• swats
• lashes
• cuffs
• bats
• raps
• bops
• buffets
• hands
• pelts
• whams
• picks
• biffs
• swings
• smashes
• bashes
• slugs
• thwacks
• haymakers
• douses
• clouts
• stingers
• dabs
• welts
• lickings
• cracks
• knees
• whops
• plumps
• busts
• counters
• larrups
• wallops
• counterstrokes
• counterblows
• beatings
• body blows
• counterpunches
• sucker punches
• shivers
• rabbit punches
• whips
• lefts
• roundhouses
• rights
• uppercuts
• knockdowns
• KOs
• sidewinders
• knockouts
• right-handers
• batterings
• whippings
• bastinadoes
• crunchers
• pastings
• thrashings
• drubbings
• wallopings
• kayos
• one-twos

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of switches

Verb

The spreadsheet burden should end between stages 2 and 3 when a company switches to a dedicated solution. — Stefan Gogoll, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026

The icon switches from gray to teal when Immersive is enabled. — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026

This will be the 26th year the station switches to all Christmas music. — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

In a sequence where Murakami imagines Godzilla getting revenge on the United States by attacking New York City, the monster unleashes atomic breath on Manhattan, and the action suddenly switches to slow motion. — James Grebey, Time, 3 Nov. 2026

Since it was sequestered, Tuscan taxpayers have paid more than $15 million for the skeleton crew, some of whom are British and others Russian, which switches out several times a year, according to local press reports. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026

Cornered and outnumbered by a mutual enemy, Paladin switches loyalties and throws in with Vision. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026

My partner Tyler, seen here as a sleepy guy, loves Halloween and always switches up his costume. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2026

Then Caputo switches it off, and there’s nothing but the rush of wind around the canopy. — IEEE Spectrum, 28 Oct. 2026

Noun

Wipe down doorknobs, light switches and countertops daily, and again after guests come through, according to the CDC. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026

Unlike conventional computer chips that process data as standard binary switches, quantum processors rely on physical circuits governed by quantum physics. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026

Wipe Down High-Touch Surfaces Frequently touched surfaces like light switches, door handles, and cabinet pulls can collect fingerprints and grime with everyday use, says Gonzalez. — Brigitt Earley, Martha Stewart, 4 Nov. 2026

Less minimalist than the all-electric Ariya, the new Rogue Hybrid has buttons and switches for most of its controls and a useful amount of storage built into the interior. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 3 Nov. 2026

The two-seat cabin is covered almost in lush white upholstery with blue trim and machined details, including its gear shifter (more on that in a moment) and many physical buttons and switches. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2026

All those conversions happening billions of times per second in the largest data centers require optical switches that generate heat, energy and bulk. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Four of them had switches, and new video shows just how dangerous these switches can be. — Jennifer Borrasso, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Finally, grab 25% off the Logitech G316 X 98 Gaming Keyboard, providing hot-swappable mechanical switches and a playful dot-matrix LED display. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026