swing state
noun
plural swing states
US politics
: a U.S. state in which Republican and Democratic candidates have similar levels of support and which is considered to play a key role in the outcome of presidential elections
The politics of immigration in Florida, a key swing state, are not as clear as they are in California.—
Tom Masland et al.
Tom Masland et al.If he is so polarizing, how was he elected five times in a swing state?—Nancy Gibbs et al.
Nancy Gibbs et al.Examples of swing state in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s because the Republicans had gerrymandered the house in many critical swing states, such as Pennsylvania and Virginia.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Once considered the country’s largest – and perhaps most unpredictable – swing state, Florida has swung to the right in recent years.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Operatives in both parties agree that low-turnout races do not always reflect the electorate in statewide elections — particularly in states like Iowa, which used to be considered a swing state but has trended reliably red over the last decade.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2025
Nevada gets a lot of attention as an important swing state in national elections, and the state political structure is balanced with reasonable business regulation.
—Kenneth G. Winans, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
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Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Once considered the country’s largest – and perhaps most unpredictable – swing state, Florida has swung to the right in recent years.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Operatives in both parties agree that low-turnout races do not always reflect the electorate in statewide elections — particularly in states like Iowa, which used to be considered a swing state but has trended reliably red over the last decade.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2025
Nevada gets a lot of attention as an important swing state in national elections, and the state political structure is balanced with reasonable business regulation.
—Kenneth G. Winans, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swing state
Cite this Entry
“Swing state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swing%20state. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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