swimmer

noun

swim·​mer ˈswi-mər How to pronounce swimmer (audio)
plural swimmers
: a person or animal that swims
a competitive swimmer
a fast/strong swimmer
… he liked to tell us that he had been a powerful swimmer in his youth, but I never saw him in actual water save once, and he then came out very promptly, shivering and upset.—H. L. Mencken
a dog that is an excellent swimmer

Examples of swimmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At Huntington city beach, 80 swimmers and surfers were injured just this week alone. — Michele Gile, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, a company has developed surf booties that claim to be barb-resistant — though swimmers are urged to still tread lightly to avoid trampling the rays. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 There will be no lifeguards, and county rangers caution that the beach, like many along the Northern California coast, can have rip currents that pose a threat to inexperienced swimmers. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 After helping the other swimmers onto the boat, Gamache and his father took the group to a nearby boat launch, where first responders were waiting. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swimmer

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swimmer was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing swimmer

Rhymes for swimmer

See All Rhymes for swimmer

Browse Nearby Words

swim meet
swimmer
swimmer's ear
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swimmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swimmer. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on swimmer

Nglish: Translation of swimmer for Spanish Speakers

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