swing state
noun
plural swing states
US politics
: a U.S. state in which Republican and Democratic candidates have similar levels of support and which is considered to play a key role in the outcome of presidential elections
The politics of immigration in Florida, a key swing state, are not as clear as they are in California.—
Tom Masland et al.
Tom Masland et al.If he is so polarizing, how was he elected five times in a swing state?—Nancy Gibbs et al.
Nancy Gibbs et al.Examples of swing state in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Typically the support for third-party candidates declines as Election Day nears, although in close elections the impact of drawing only thousands of voters in swing states can tip the election outcome.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
The first lady is one of many White House surrogates who has recently visited Arizona, a swing state in this year’s presidential election.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 6 May 2024
Michigan — a key swing state in the upcoming election — could decide the presidential contest this fall.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 6 May 2024
Biden is also confronting a sharp decline in his political support among Arab American voters, especially in swing states like Michigan, which have a large community of descendants from Lebanon and other Arab nations.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
But Biden trails Trump in our averages for each of the important swing states by varying margins.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 3 May 2024
In a stop in Wilmington, N.C., a possible swing state in the fall election, the president announced $3 billion in new spending to upgrade water systems around the country.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 3 May 2024
Wisconsin is one of a handful of swing states expected to determine the outcome this fall.
—Joey Garrison, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
Trump’s visits to Wisconsin and Michigan mark his second trip to the swing states in just a month.
—Adriana Gomez Licon, Fortune, 1 May 2024
Susan Page, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
The first lady is one of many White House surrogates who has recently visited Arizona, a swing state in this year’s presidential election.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 6 May 2024
Michigan — a key swing state in the upcoming election — could decide the presidential contest this fall.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 6 May 2024
Biden is also confronting a sharp decline in his political support among Arab American voters, especially in swing states like Michigan, which have a large community of descendants from Lebanon and other Arab nations.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
But Biden trails Trump in our averages for each of the important swing states by varying margins.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 3 May 2024
In a stop in Wilmington, N.C., a possible swing state in the fall election, the president announced $3 billion in new spending to upgrade water systems around the country.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 3 May 2024
Wisconsin is one of a handful of swing states expected to determine the outcome this fall.
—Joey Garrison, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
Trump’s visits to Wisconsin and Michigan mark his second trip to the swing states in just a month.
—Adriana Gomez Licon, Fortune, 1 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swing state.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near swing state
Cite this Entry
“Swing state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swing%20state. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
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