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
Relevance
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
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
the loose rigging switched the mast during the storm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of switching
That’s why many nail enthusiasts are switching to at-home mani-pedis — and turning it into a 2026 beauty trend.
—
Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
The Aztecs had been switching the point guard-center ball screens, which put guards on 6-9 bouncy Nevada forward Elijah Price under the basket.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
If yellowing continues to frustrate you, try switching to darker colored pillowcases.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
The Bucs hope that switching up the coaching staff, adding more reinforcements through free agency and most importantly, keeping the main leader in place, could bode well for 2026.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Mills is for girls in their discovery era, experimenting with trends, switching up their look, and having fun with fashion.
—Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 7 Jan. 2026
While many renovations won’t be visible to the general public, such as switching out the ice rink base from a sand floor to a concrete floor, the Park District also worked to improve the overall atmosphere.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Dallas succeeded spectacularly after switching from Landry to Jimmy Johnson.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Shipping itself is efficient per ton-mile and still accounts for roughly 3 percent of global CO₂; switching from a very long ocean journey to a medium-range truck haul can be a wash for that reason.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
The Aztecs had been switching the point guard-center ball screens, which put guards on 6-9 bouncy Nevada forward Elijah Price under the basket.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
If yellowing continues to frustrate you, try switching to darker colored pillowcases.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
The Bucs hope that switching up the coaching staff, adding more reinforcements through free agency and most importantly, keeping the main leader in place, could bode well for 2026.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Mills is for girls in their discovery era, experimenting with trends, switching up their look, and having fun with fashion.
—Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 7 Jan. 2026
While many renovations won’t be visible to the general public, such as switching out the ice rink base from a sand floor to a concrete floor, the Park District also worked to improve the overall atmosphere.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Dallas succeeded spectacularly after switching from Landry to Jimmy Johnson.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Shipping itself is efficient per ton-mile and still accounts for roughly 3 percent of global CO₂; switching from a very long ocean journey to a medium-range truck haul can be a wash for that reason.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switching
Verb
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Do the Rangers want to be swapping out center fielders?—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Men are swapping out their underwear over growing concerns about fertility and hormone health.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Alijah Arenas switched between his forehand shot and backhand, flicking the plastic ball over the net to his opponent, former NBA star Brandon Jennings.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
-
While the horses were flicking sand like fireworks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The novel is described as a reimagination of Cinderella, with Sophie and Benedict meeting at a masquerade ball, with Sophie hiding her identity because of her role as a maid.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
29 Jan. 2026
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In the late 1700s, when the Spanish built missions nearby at San Juan Bautista, Santa Clara, Carmel and Santa Cruz, natives often fled to avoid cruel conditions, tribal leaders have noted, hiding on Sargent Ranch, in the hills of Pacheco Pass, and other remote locations.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This week, Rodriguez signed a law overhauling the nation's oil sector, opening it to privatization and reversing a core policy of the socialist government that has ruled Venezuela for more than two decades.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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However, developments such as the Vanguard announcement appear to be reversing that trajectory.—
Matthew Kayser,
Freep.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
-
England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The trio has great comedic chemistry, with Marissa constantly exchanging witty barbs with Jamie and barking orders at Harper, while the latter two bond over their mutual messiness.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
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The potential buyer showed text messages between with Smith that discussed exchanging the child for money.—
Kyle Werner,
Des Moines Register,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The team also discovered that rays using undulatory, wave-like swimming had better ground clearance than those with purely oscillatory, flapping motions.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Jan. 2026
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For example, malware could send commands to rapidly open and close circuit breakers, a technique known as flapping.—
Saman Zonouz,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Doncic played a role in both clutch shots, first whipping a one-handed pass behind his back across the court to Gabe Vincent, who shoveled the ball with one hand to Hachimura.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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Would the place that had been home for months withstand the whipping winds?—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Switching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switching. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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