Synonyms of switching

switching

verb

present participle of switch

1

as in swapping

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

• swapping
• exchanging
• substituting
• changing
• trading
• shifting
• replacing
• commuting
• interchanging
• displacing
• superseding
• reciprocating
• yielding
• surrendering
• ceding
• handing over

2

as in flicking

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

• flicking
• flapping
• swinging
• swishing
• twitching
• bobbing
• jerking
• wagging
• waving
• swaying
• waggling
• oscillating
• fluttering
• rocking
• wavering
• shaking
• flickering
• whipping
• flailing
• lashing
• flopping
• wiggling
• jolting
• jigging
• nodding
• jiggling
• beating
• jogging
• joggling

3

as in hiding

to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible

switched the stagecoach horses to control the direction they took

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hiding
• whipping
• flicking
• slashing
• cutting
• hitting
• knocking
• slapping
• lashing
• flailing
• licking
• punching
• thrashing
• tanning
• flogging
• flagellating
• banging
• spanking
• clipping
• swiping
• smacking
• whaling
• batting
• pounding
• strapping
• whacking
• rawhiding
• scourging
• leathering
• cowhiding
• mauling
• horsewhipping
• beating
• birching
• boxing
• thumping
• clapping
• swatting
• quirting
• knouting
• cracking
• bashing
• clubbing
• socking
• touching up
• caning
• mangling
• hammering
• slugging
• pelting
• cudgeling
• pasting
• clobbering
• bopping
• battering
• smiting
• pummeling
• thwacking
• paddling
• slating
• clouting
• lathering
• busting
• working over
• blackjacking
• cuffing
• lambasting
• belting
• fustigating
• roughing
• slogging
• basting
• buffeting
• bludgeoning
• bunging
• lamming
• whopping
• walloping
• fibbing
• pistol-whipping
• lacing
• pommeling
• belaboring
• tromping
• threshing
• drubbing
• whupping

4

as in reversing

to change (as an opinion) to the contrary

a politician who has switched his position on a number of issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reversing
• overturning
• revoking
• reverting
• abrogating
• rescinding
• striking down
• repealing
• annulling
• backtracking
• countermanding
• about-facing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• maintaining
• supporting
• upholding

5

as in licking

to strike repeatedly

the loose rigging switched the mast during the storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• licking
• hiding
• pounding
• doing
• whipping
• lashing
• attacking
• knocking
• hitting
• beating
• slapping
• punching
• slamming
• battering
• pelting
• thumping
• smashing
• assaulting
• chopping
• batting
• bashing
• raiding
• spanking
• hammering
• swiping
• pummeling
• slating
• mauling
• lathering
• boxing
• smacking
• paddling
• thrashing
• lambasting
• currying
• working over
• whacking
• clubbing
• tanning
• punching out
• flogging
• belting
• storming
• slogging
• bludgeoning
• buffeting
• basting
• whopping
• fibbing
• rushing
• walloping
• pommeling
• lacing
• tromping
• whaling
• belaboring
• cracking
• drubbing
• messing (up)
• roughing (up)
• threshing
• swatting
• bunging up
• strapping
• pasting
• beating up on
• wounding
• clobbering
• socking
• assailing
• birching
• whupping
• descending (on or upon)
• thwacking
• jumping (on)
• cudgeling
• busting
• cuffing
• laying on
• besetting
• lamming
• pouncing (on or upon)
• mangling
• clouting
• whamming
• flagellating
• whomping
• mutilating
• blackjacking
• lacerating
• caning
• rawhiding
• fustigating
• leathering
• scourging
• cowhiding
• goring
• pistol-whipping
• maiming
• horsewhipping

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of switching

When every system touches every other, containment means switching the business off. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Its four beamforming mics deliver crystal-clear voice clarity during outdoor phone calls, while Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair ensure effortless device switching. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026

Thomas then raised her right arm before switching to her left hand, according to the footage. — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026

And while there’s fun to be had with the premise of the three characters constantly and accidentally switching places — most often in the middle of a space fight) — the meandering script unfortunately tries to do too much. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026

Training camp for the Kansas City Chiefs began on July 29, and even with the program only days in, the 36-year-old tight end felt like switching up his appearance with changes to his facial hair. — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026

Start by switching to a clinical strength antiperspirant, which can help mask smells. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 3 Aug. 2026

Growers, packers and shippers will also face rising costs when switching packaging or processing infrastructure, the representatives say. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Then the researchers piped apple cider vinegar into that airstream, switching it on and off depending on the fly’s position on this virtual field. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026