swatted; swatting
: to hit with a sharp slapping blow usually with an instrument (such as a bat or flyswatter)
swatted the ball for a home run
1
: a powerful or crushing blow
2
: a long hit in baseball
especially
: home run
swatted; swatting; swats
: to make a false report of an ongoing serious crime in order to elicit a response from law enforcement (such as the dispatch of a SWAT unit)
Special FBI Agent John Bennett of San Francisco said in a statement to CBS, that those who swat want to see "a tactical response" – specifically, they "want to see armed officers, they want to see a bomb, dogs, helicopters – that's all part of the fun."—
Bryn Lovitt
Bryn LovittThe congresswoman had just been "swatted," or subjected to a malicious act in which a person hides their identity, then calls the cops and reports a violent crime at the address of whomever they're targeting.—Ryan Grenoble
Ryan Grenoble
swatting
noun
Prosecutors say that in addition to initiating the swatting episode in Kansas … Mr. Barriss made dozens of other, similar calls to emergency and law enforcement agencies across the country during which he falsely reported bomb threats, active shootings and other criminal activity at high schools, shopping malls and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
—Matt Stevens and Andrew R. Chow
Matt Stevens and Andrew R. Chow
often attributive
: a police or military unit specially trained and equipped to handle unusually hazardous situations or missions
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- belt
- biff
- bludgeon
- bob
- bonk
- bop
- box
- bust
- clap
- clip
- clobber
- clock
- clout
- crack
- hammer
- hit
- knock
- nail
- paste
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slog
- slug
- smack
- smite
- sock
- strike
- swipe
- tag
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- whack
- whale
- zap
Noun (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Examples of swat in a Sentence
Verb (1)
She swatted the fly with a magazine.
The cat was swatting the injured mouse with its paw.
He swatted the tennis ball out of bounds.
Noun (1)
the impatient toddler got a swat on his wrist for stepping into the street by himself
Recent Examples on the Web
Barbara Booth, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2024
At which point, Marianna swats the phone out of her hand.
—Outside Online, 9 Oct. 2024
W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 June 2024
The anti-gay laws aim to swat gay people down and send them back to the closet.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for swat 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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about these examples.
Verb
John Cohen, executive director of the Program for Countering Hybrid Threats at the Center for Internet Security, warns that these disinformation campaigns often have real-world consequences, such as swatting calls, bomb threats, and intimidation tactics aimed at election officials.
—Barbara Booth, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2024
At which point, Marianna swats the phone out of her hand.
—Outside Online, 9 Oct. 2024
Noun
Reagan bounced back from a shaky first debate in 1984 to swat away age concerns in the second one.
—W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 June 2024
The anti-gay laws aim to swat gay people down and send them back to the closet.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for swat
Dictionary Entries Near swat
Cite this Entry
“Swat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swat. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Swat
geographical name
river 400 miles (644 kilometers) long in Pakistan flowing into the Kabul River
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