as in slap
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the impatient toddler got a swat on his wrist for stepping into the street by himself
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to smack
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
didn't sleep a wink all night because she was too busy swatting mosquitoes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of swat
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
The two animals collide, the bear swats at the alligator, and the pair rumble.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 7 June 2024
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 Dec. 2024
Such incidents have increased in recent years, and multiple officials from both political parties reported being the victims of swatting during last year's holiday season.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for swat 
Noun
The anti-gay laws aim to swat gay people down and send them back to the closet.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
The two animals collide, the bear swats at the alligator, and the pair rumble.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 7 June 2024
Verb
Bridgeport police and fire were dispatched and determined the call to be a swatting incident.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 Dec. 2024
Such incidents have increased in recent years, and multiple officials from both political parties reported being the victims of swatting during last year's holiday season.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for swat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swat
Noun
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The verbal glove slap unleashed a back-and-forth war of words via diss track, which, in retrospect, was never going to go Drake's way – Lamar, after all, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist.Rebecca Messina, The Week UK, theweek, 30 Dec. 2024
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In one breath, people acknowledged the social faux pas of the slap while simultaneously defending why resorting to violence in this case was understandable.Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Reality has a way of smacking you hard in the face.Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025
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What hits on TikTok is a legible, irresistible hook — or, in other words, the kind of content that smacks you in the face with its obviousness.Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Families fall asleep to the thump of nearby airstrikes and the constant whine of an Israeli drone overhead.Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 25 Dec. 2024
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The Vigor has flat seams and enough stretch to move comfortably while bending over or reaching up, while thump loops make for easy layering on frigid days.Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Brainard was additionally charged with intimidation; 18-year-old Kevin Carroll, who allegedly slammed the victim's head into the car door, is accused of assault and battery with a deadly weapon.Christina Coulter, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2025
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Cops said Michael Colonna, 35, crossed over the center yellow line and slammed into Dora Salmeron, 53, according to Newsday.Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Likewise, a surprise 25 basis point rate cut by the BOK at its November meeting, enacted before Yoon declared martial law in December, could have cushioned the blow.Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
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As such, this will likely be a blow because the country accounted for 50% of global oil demand growth between 2000 and 2023, averaging an annual increase of 518,000 bpd, according to the Energy Institute's 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy.Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the middle of one firefight, Lozano also got knocked senseless by the blast wave from a tank gun.Jon Hamilton, NPR, 14 Jan. 2025
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As of that date, an additional 30,000 MW of potential new loads had also come knocking at AEP’s door (a figure likely to be even larger today).Peter Kelly-Detwiler, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The pitch didn’t go over super well and the live moment landed with a thud.Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2025
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As much as the end of the team’s nine-game winning streak ended with a thud, the Vikings live to fight another night.Steve Silverman, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Powerball jackpot has not been hit since Dec. 7, when a New York player won the $256 million grand prize, lottery officials said.Don Sweeney, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
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George Michael and Pop Smoke both hit No. 1 with albums titled Faith.Paul Grein, Billboard, 13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near swat
Cite this Entry
“Swat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swat. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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