Definition of swashnext
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
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
Noun
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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swash
Verb
  • Antonio Banderas' house—with the dune in the background, where Tony gets splashed with water every morning—was only a mile from my house.
    Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The spacecraft splashed down in the Indian Ocean intact after flying halfway around the world from SpaceX’s launch base in South Texas.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In a torrent of articles, Weiner has pushed for global nuclear disarmament.
    Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Total rainfall of nearly 3 feet was expected on the higher windward slopes, turning rivers into raging torrents and threatening mudslides.
    Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Floyd and Clark, these two guys are almost completely devoid of swagger.
    Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Jordan is playing Ricardo Tubbs while Butler is playing James Crockett, the two swagger-strutting detectives.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Something extraordinary these episodes illustrate, in our view, is the vulnerability of America’s highly interconnected fresh-food supply chain, in which one grower or supplier problem can ripple astonishingly fast.
    Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That remains enough concentration for export restrictions to ripple through automotive, energy and defense industries.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Dam Removal Europe found that the number of dams dismantled in 2025, along with other water-flow controls like weirs, culverts and sluices, grew by 11% from the year before.
    Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 3 June 2026
  • The archways are furnished with sluice gates that can open to allow excess water to pass through in periods of flooding.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • Played to perfection by Robert Picardo, the Emergency Medical Hologram was programmed to save lives and give sass.
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
  • Wit and sass are sexy as Mercury and Jupiter harmonize.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Garwood said the spillway system dates to the late 1960s, but the pipe was lined last year.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • The largest among them, the Hardy Dam on the Muskegon River, needs a multi-hundred-million-dollar spillway upgrade to comply with modern flood safety standards.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Westcott said some of the subdivisions along the creek were built in the 1960s and 1970s when proper drainage was an afterthought and fences were installed in floodways.
    Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Private property floodways and floodplains are mostly affected when extreme weather events occur, village officials said.
    Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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