swats 1 of 2

noun

Definition of swatsnext
plural of swat
as in slaps
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument the impatient toddler got a swat on his wrist for stepping into the street by himself

Synonyms & Similar Words

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swats

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of swat
as in smacks
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner didn't sleep a wink all night because she was too busy swatting mosquitoes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 swats
Noun
The Wolverines had only three swats against Arizona, but that was a 91-73 win in a game that was supposed to be the best of the tournament but turned into something else. — CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
What’s next, a robotic baseball player named Babe that swats 500-foot home runs and throws 120 mph pitches, eclipsing Shohei Ohtani’s real-life achievements and commanding a billion dollar contract? — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026 And when Melbourne still attempts to challenge the two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Wilson swats it away with ease. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025 Thumps sound, and his arm disappears as someone swats it down. — Sahana Jayaraman, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swats
  1. slaps
  2. smacks
  3. swipes
  4. knocks
  5. thumps
  6. hits
  7. punches
  8. slams
Noun
  • The Mother was the destination, but the slaps, pineapple, goat, and countless detours made the journey worthwhile.
    — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Pro wrestling is often viewed as a fake form of fighting, but the flips, jumps and landings are very real — slaps and kicks landed on reddening skin echo throughout SPW’s venues.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of slaps
Verb
  • Other gamblers just don’t want to get swindled, so anything that smacks too clearly of insider trading can get you in trouble.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Byerley smacks the schmuck in the face and wins the election.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of smacks
Noun
  • Their swipes at one another have escalated so much that the sitting president has threatened to take away O’Donnell’s citizenship.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
  • With fewer options to switch lanes in the roundabout, there are fewer opportunities for unsafe lane changes to result in side-swipes.
    — Rose Evans August 16, Idaho Statesman, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of swipes
Verb
  • When a headline knocks a stock down, the useful question is whether anything inside the business moved.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Brink is no stranger to the injury bug, as this is just the latest in a series of knocks the Sparks center has taken recently.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of knocks
Noun
  • The lower-vocal harmony struggles to stand out any time the deeper bass thumps.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Definition of thumps
Verb
  • Marlins starter Janson Junk allowed one run and two hits over 4 2/3 innings.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Mohamed Kamara had a half sack, David Walker two quarterback hits.
    — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of hits
Noun
  • No punches were thrown, and Oruwariye and Knight were separated quickly.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • During Monday’s press conference, Bessent sought to tamp down on criticism that the administration was pulling its punches.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of punches
Verb
  • In one of the most memorable panels in superherocomic history, Bane, having beaten Batman down in his own Batcave, lifts the hero over his head and slams him down over his knee, breaking his back.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Robin Williams' daughter slams AI videos of her father, urges fans to 'stop doing this'Need a news break?
    — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of slams

Browse Nearby Words

swaths
swats
swatted
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Cite this Entry

“Swats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swats. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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