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

Allow a hair dryer to cool down before switching attachments, since the end of the hair dryer can get very hot after use. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026

Treatment decisions are highly individualized and stopping or switching therapy requires careful discussion with an oncology team. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 24 Aug. 2026

After talk of Leonard switching to a 3-4, the conversation has become a little more nuanced. — Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

The brand is switching from blue to stone-ground yellow corn tortillas for its tacos, but the signature totopos will continue to be made from the heirloom blue corn. — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Jones gave up the Infowars brand in April and moved to a new location, switching his shows to new websites and posting them on his personal X account. — Jim Vertuno, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026

As such, getting rid of polio for good necessitates countries switching from the oral vaccine to the shot. — Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Limited manufacturing capacity has meant that many women are switching brands and dosages. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 21 Aug. 2026

Chelsea’s new outlook Since BlueCo bought Chelsea in 2022, the club have spent four years switching identities and approaches. — George Edwards, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026