swash 1 of 2

1
as in to splash
to move with a splashing motion waves gently swashing against the shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to slosh
to cause (something liquid or mushy) to move along in sheets every bump in the road swashed a little more of my soda on the car's upholstery

Synonyms & Similar Words

swash

2 of 2

noun

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 swash
Verb
Mole crabs burrow themselves in the intertidal swash zone but leave their antennae exposed above the surface to trap food like algae and plankton. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025 This cushiony highlighter deposits a swash of subtle champagne, rose quartz, or gold while the squalane (the secret star of the show) provides moisture for a long-lasting look that provides a skin-like, never cakey, finish. Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 5 Oct. 2024 The dessert menu is just as backward-looking (or, more generously, classic-minded) as the savory offerings: cheesecake with a swash of berry sauce, dark chocolate pot de crème. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 30 June 2024 Glow Set a travel necessity—perfect for quick makeup touch-ups, passing through TSA, or a shimmering swash of color. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2021 Hollywood’s history is rich with swash-buckling scenes. Allison Prang, WSJ, 22 Oct. 2021 Some big trout are still in the swash on the beach at dawn, though this action will slow as the water continues to warm—topwaters get them. Frank Sargeant, al, 18 June 2021
Noun
Recurring character Goro Majima swashes his buckles as the sole protagonist, taking to the seas having suffered from an almighty case of pirate amnesia. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swash
Verb
  • There is also a desire for infamy and to have their names and faces splashed across the internet and newspapers for a spurt of violence.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Capture the trails of speed, splashing water, and leaping moments.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But then the torrent of anonymous text messages that would put their relationship to the test began flooding in.
    Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Polish airspace was violated by at least 19 Russian drones overnight, the country's prime minister said, in a torrent of activity that triggered a response from the NATO country's air force, which scrambled and downed several of the drones.
    Will Gretsky, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Vinnie Barbarino Was a Standout John Travolta’s Vinnie was known for his cocky swagger and flirtatious antics.
    Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • And the Spotlight swagger — an appetite for conflict that brought it into a legendary battle with the Catholic Church — is at the core of an unusually successful and growing brand.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Ambulances rushed to drag the wounded away, while panic rippled through the crowd.
    Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Wooden slats hang from the ceiling, rippling across like water.
    Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But his drama is met with humor and sass.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Here, played by the black actress Karen Bryson, the character is all brains and sass.
    Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For many years, the lake level was maintained at 290 feet, which is about 40% capacity, 25 feet below the spillway level of 315 feet.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The Nicasio proposal calls for modifying the spillway gates at Seeger Dam, which was constructed on Nicasio Creek in 1960 to create the reservoir.
    Adrian Rodriguez, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Corey Waldrop, who owns the property and is developing it under his company Motiv Ventures, plans to reclaim some of that floodway and the adjacent floodplain.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2025
  • In Georgetown, two RV parks along the San Gabriel River that were all but wiped off the map are directly in the floodway, where water moves most forcefully during storms.
    Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Wilson’s New Freedom would open the sluiceways of competition by slashing tariffs, strengthening anti-trust laws and increasing access to credit.
    Richard Norton Smith, WSJ, 19 Apr. 2018
  • The town has opened the floodgate to the dam draining the pond behind it and allowing Roaring Brook to flow freely downstream through a sluiceway.
    Peter Marteka, Courant Community, 12 Apr. 2018

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Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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