switch 1 of 2

1
as in to swap
to give up (something) and take something else in return switched the real grapes for fake ones switched the day of his flight from Thursday to Friday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to flick
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions cows lazily switching their tails and chewing their cud

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in to reverse
to change (as an opinion) to the contrary a politician who has switched his position on a number of issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

switch

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in flick
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down that telltale switch of the cat's tail meant there was a mouse under the piano

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

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 switch
Verb
Kevin McMahon, 64, filed a lawsuit against Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, N.Y., in 2021, on a claim of medical malpractice for allegedly switching him at birth with Ross McMahon on May 26, 1960. Charna Flam, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025 Another study conducted in Galesburg, Illinois found that the number of cavity-free 14-year-olds dropped by 10% and the rate of cavities went up by 38% when the city switched its water supply from naturally fluoridated water to an alternative water source with little fluoride. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
That’s why the future Hall of Famer is making a permanent switch from center field to right, a move intended to reduce the wear and tear that comes with playing his old position. Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025 Doctors kept telling her to give her body a few months to adjust to the switch. Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • The eight-episode dramedy stars Luke Kirby and French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg as the directors of ballet companies in New York and Paris, respectively, who agree to swap their main attractions in a bid to save their storied institutions.
    Michael Ausiello, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Maybe the fan theories are right, and Ariana swapping out her Glinda pink for Swarovski lilac is yet another sign of a brand new era.
    Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Masterminded by hairstylist Peter Burkill, a fair few inches have been eliminated from Brown’s mane, leaving her with a thick and voluminous chin-grazing bob that gently flicks inwards towards the ends.
    Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The Chelsea captain picked out Mac Allister’s darting run, and the Liverpool midfielder flicked the ball cleverly over a desperate Bento.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Read Next World Palace gardens hid 900-year-old ruins of bathhouse in Spain — until now.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The titles of 12 such books — some of which may have been published before 2025 — are hidden below within an unrelated text passage.
    J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this year, national park operations were disrupted when President Donald Trump, via executive action, laid off hundreds of seasonal park employees before reversing course.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
  • If upheld, the policy would reverse decades of immigration precedent.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The race is being widely viewed as a must-win for Democrats who at the national level are still licking their 2024 election wounds, as well as a potential referendum on Trump and Musk.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Cora appears to enjoy the routine and happily lets the cat lick at the tufts of blonde hair on her head.
    Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • My go-to Starbucks order is a nonfat mocha latte, no whip.
    Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Few people know this better than Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.), the upper chamber’s highest-ranking official who served as Senate minority whip for Republicans last Congress.
    Audrey Fahlberg, National Review, 28 Mar. 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
Noun
  • Hold: Strong Shades: 8 Pros: Vegan and cruelty free, easy to use, buildable Cons: Takes a couple swipes to get more pigment out of it Your brow gel questions, answered Is clear or tinted brow gel better?
    Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
  • As President Donald Trump takes fast-changing swipes at U.S. trade relationships around the world, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is challenging the president’s authority and taking steps to curb economic blowback.
    Ali Martin, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on switch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!