swished; swishing; swishes
: to move, pass, swing, or whirl with the sound of a swish
1
: to move, cut, or strike with a swish
the horse swished its tail
2
: to make (a basketball shot) so that the ball falls through the rim without touching it
swished a 3-point jumper
swisher
noun
plural swishes
1
a
: a prolonged hissing sound (as of a whip cutting the air)
b
: a light sweeping or brushing sound
2
: a swishing movement
3
slang, usually disparaging + offensive
: an effeminate gay man
: smart, fashionable
Synonyms
Verb
Noun
Adjective
Examples of swish in a Sentence
Verb
He watched as the windshield wipers swished back and forth.
The horse's tail swished back and forth.
The horse swished its tail back and forth.
Noun
the steady swish of the windshield wipers
the mare brushed away the flies with a sweeping swish of her tail
Adjective
a trendy boutique filled with swish accessories for the urban fashionista
Recent Examples on the Web
Luke Abrahams, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2024
In animation, the simplest things can have the biggest impact: the jaunty swish of a dog’s pointed tail, a day-at-the-beach scene rendered in jellybean colors, the way a snowflake drifting from the sky awakens a sleeping beauty, Wizard of Oz–style.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 31 May 2024
Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 8 June 2017
That goes especially for star Johnny Depp, whose Captain Jack Sparrow remains an unchanging and buffoonish blend of swash and swish.
—Robert W. Butler, kansascity.com, 24 May 2017
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 
Verb
Don't let the idea of sleeping on a train scare you — this locomotive is more like a hotel on rails: There are cabins with snuggly double beds, swish en-suite bathrooms, and for a dose of extra atmosphere, dimmable lights.
—Luke Abrahams, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2024
In animation, the simplest things can have the biggest impact: the jaunty swish of a dog’s pointed tail, a day-at-the-beach scene rendered in jellybean colors, the way a snowflake drifting from the sky awakens a sleeping beauty, Wizard of Oz–style.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 31 May 2024
Noun
After Kyle Korver of the Cavaliers missed an open 3-pointer, Durant spotted up from the top of the arc — swish — for a 114-113 lead.
—Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 8 June 2017
That goes especially for star Johnny Depp, whose Captain Jack Sparrow remains an unchanging and buffoonish blend of swash and swish.
—Robert W. Butler, kansascity.com, 24 May 2017
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near swish
Cite this Entry
“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swish. Accessed 9 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swish
1 of 2 verb
: to make, move, or strike with a soft rubbing, hissing, or splashing sound
swish
2 of 2 noun1
: a hissing sound (as of a whip cutting the air) or a sound of soft surfaces rubbing against each other
2
: a swishing movement
swishy
adjective
-ē
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