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

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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

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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

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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

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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
  • Rogers was found hiding under a bridge nearby and was arrested, authorities said.
    Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Because the kitchen is visible from the living and dining areas, Allison downplayed the utilitarian stuff, tucking the stainless-steel refrigerator behind a wall and hiding the range behind the island.
    Amy Panos, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • On Saturday, New York Republican U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino said in a news release that Howard had been reinstated as administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program after legislators urged the White House to reverse the decision.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Drastic cuts to the 9/11 program were reversed earlier this year after Republican lawmakers sounded the alarm.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 6 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
  • 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
  • During our call, Lee clarified that Siragusa wasn’t tweeting in between pistol whips.
    Patricia Hernandez, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • There is a test laboratory where samples of materials and finished bags are put through their paces, and a repair workshop where a weathered brown bag awaited rescue, its flap chewed by a dog.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The wasps’ strange abdomens each had three flaps with small spikes and trigger hairs, similar to the motion-detecting hairs on a Venus flytrap.
    Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Weekend Update continued the roast, following a swipe during the Cold Open, as co-host Colin Jost addressed President Donald Trump‘s recent tariffs.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Photo: Getty Images The rest of Jennie’s glam was kept minimal too—her signature glass skin with a hint of rosy blush to be more of an all-over flush, and a swipe of black eyeliner.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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