swish 1 of 3

1
as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out the steady swish of the windshield wipers

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2
as in flap
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down the mare brushed away the flies with a sweeping swish of her tail

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swish

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to hiss
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ with their satin costumes swishing, the little ballerinas chasséd onto the stage

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2

swish

3 of 3

adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of swish
Noun
Swish swish sounds like it is written by 8 yr old kid or Donald Trump. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 May 2017 In a hurricane, those waves can come in quick, short bursts as powerful thunderstorms around the storm’s eye wall swish air up and down like a plunger in a toilet bowl. Jenny Staletovich, miamiherald, 17 May 2017
Verb
In the meantime, however: eyes on the target, a light touch, swish. Maya Singer, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025 In a third quarter run that saw the Gamecocks outscore the Hoosiers 20-7, Oregon transfer Te-Hina Paopao had Colonial Life Arena jumping swishing a deep three pointer. Allison Smith, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Co-produced by Spain’s RTVE and TV3 with Sweden’s SVT, Germany’s NDR and Finland’s YLE, the eight-part comedy is set in a swish upper middle-class community in the placid hills outside Barcelona. Liza Foreman, Variety, 18 Oct. 2023 The swish dopp kits, which are filled with the latest skincare products and fragrances, will be provided exclusively to first- and business-class passengers on select routes and long-haul flights. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Aug. 2023 See All Example Sentences for swish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swish
Noun
  • Good safety practices include not overcrowding boats, carrying sound safety devices such as whistles and air horns and requiring all rowers to pass a swimming test.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Then Tyrese Proctor missed a free throw and Cooper Flagg caught an over-the-back whistle on the rebound attempt.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The ripstop is applied to the shirt’s pointed Western yoke, collar and chest flaps.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 11 Apr. 2025
  • However, drivers must remember to shut the DRS flap in a non-DRS zone.
    John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This week, Matt Ritchie compared Wembley 2023 to a party balloon that had been inflated for a fortnight; by the day of the game, air was hissing out.
    George Caulkin, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025
  • After the wombat hisses, seemingly in distress, Jones eventually returns the animal to the bush.
    Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Union carved out a niche in romantic comedies, starring in Two Can Play That Game (2001), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), and Breakin’ All the Rules (2004), in addition to action flicks like Cradle 2 the Grave (2003).
    EW.com, EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Bohm took a few steps, then flicked his bat into the air.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This hat offers a throwback ‘90s look while keeping you stylish and protected.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Rough-hewn Vincent compliments Michelle, who is as stylish and trim as ever.
    Armond White, National Review, 11 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The Canada Line on the SkyTrain whisks you directly to Waterfront Station in approximately 25 minutes, just a few minutes' walk from the luxurious Fairmont Waterfront.
    Shelby Knick, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • This adorable silicon whisk, spatula, brush, turner, and spoonula (spoon-spatula) come in spring colors like pastel purple, pastel green, and cream as a small, but playful, nod to April.
    Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The former mayor of Salzburg gave the project the go-head in 2024, but now a governmental skirmish has begun after the mayoral office swung from the political right to the left after an election.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The second player swings the ball across the top of the key to the second side.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Newly single Rachel Zoe, meanwhile, made a grand entrance flanked by a fashionable crew.
    Brianne Tracy, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • By the 1960s, women were making more fashionable style choices.
    Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swish. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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