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
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
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
My child attended daycare and summer programs at Pillsbury United Communities center just four blocks away, where a multiracial cohort of kids happily play through the winter, swishing around in bulky jackets and snow pants, bouncing towards their parents.
—Bao Phi, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
With one swish of her hair, Thompson reminded us that beauty doesn’t always require bells and whistles.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 8 Jan. 2026
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026
Thankfully, the silhouette is the epitome of trendy, offering a versatile design that includes a side swish, contrasting textiles, and bold colors.
—Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for swish
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Verb
Fill a bowl or sink with water, add a drop of fabric softener, and swish it around.
—Noun
Drain out the dirty water, then refill with clean, lukewarm water and give the scarf a few more swishes.
—Adjective
Add a small amount of a gentle liquid detergent recommended for hand-washing delicate items, such as Woolite, and swish to disperse through the water.
—Cite this Entry
“Swish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swish. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Kids 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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