swoop

1 of 2

verb

swooped; swooping; swoops

intransitive verb

: to move with a sweep

transitive verb

: to gain or carry off in or as if in a swoop
usually used with up
swooper noun

swoop

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of swooping
2
: a single concentrated and quickly effective effort
was done in one swoop
often used with fell
solved everything at one fell swoop

Examples of swoop in a Sentence

Verb The police swooped in and captured the criminals.
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.
Verb
Then Bad Bunny swooped in, the award in his outstretched hands, and handed it to the child. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026 In this dim foyer, Benjamin Moore's Natural Cream swoops in to provide some airiness. Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration settled another mountain of lawsuits last year in one novel swoop. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026 The quiet is broken only by the swoop of herons and, less poetically, the occasional 737 descending into the nearby airport, which the waterway loops around with indifference. Phil Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swoop

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of Middle English swopen to sweep, from Old English swāpan — more at sweep

First Known Use

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of swoop was in 1566

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swoop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swoop. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

swoop

1 of 2 verb
: to dive or pounce suddenly like a hawk on its prey

swoop

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of swooping
2
: a single quickly effective effort
often used with fell
solved everything at one fell swoop

More from Merriam-Webster on swoop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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