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

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

There is also a cost of switching that the mobility narrative never prices. — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

When Tagger was 10, coaches dissuaded her from switching from two hands to one. — James Hansen, New York Times, 27 July 2026

An informal poll of my Vogue colleagues revealed that some people have been switching from leafy greens to cucumber salad and forgoing their beloved chicken Caesar wraps. — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 27 July 2026