Illustration of swan
- swan 1
plural swans
1
plural also swan
: any of various large heavy-bodied long-necked mostly pure white aquatic birds (family Anatidae, especially genus Cygnus) that have webbed feet and are related to but larger than the geese
2
: one that resembles or is likened to a swan
3
Swan
: the constellation Cygnus
Examples of swan in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Paltrow's Emma had a swan-like grace and beauty, proving there are numerous ways to interpret the nuanced character.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
Neda Ulaby, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
The music video, in which Tay swans around a Malibu mansion in a pastel two-piece, was more controversial.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for swan
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Hezekiah pivots to boxing, and his strength in the ring and romantic chemistry with Mary get him the wrong kind of attention from Sugar — who’s just itching to swan-dive off that cliff into self-destruction.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Paltrow's Emma had a swan-like grace and beauty, proving there are numerous ways to interpret the nuanced character.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
Verb
They're led by a glamorous male mad scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, who swans about in a glittering corset and heels.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
The music video, in which Tay swans around a Malibu mansion in a pastel two-piece, was more controversial.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for swan
Cite this Entry
“Swan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swan. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share