swash 1 of 2

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 The dessert menu is just as backward-looking (or, more generously, classic-minded) as the savory offerings: cheesecake with a swash of berry sauce, dark chocolate pot de crème. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 30 June 2024 Other dishes were similarly transcendent: a slab of duck breast was tender and rare, with crisp skin and a dazzling swash of orange sauce. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadow Hourglass’s Scattered Light Eyeshadow is a fun date night accessory thanks to a swash of sparkle that’s easy to apply: just a few dabs of product onto your eyelid, and the pearls will reflect light beautifully. Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 28 Sep. 2023 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 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 Hollywood’s history is rich with swash-buckling scenes. Allison Prang, WSJ, 22 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swash
Verb
  • There's a person whose only job is to splash ghee between layers of filo dough.
    Fatma Tanis, NPR, 7 June 2025
  • As if this dramatic moment was not enough, ACT-UP member Mark Chaney took it upon himself to splash and smear several vials of a red liquid onto the door of the City Council chambers.
    Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • In the days after her speech, the young graduate has received nationwide media attention, along with a torrent of ardent support and biting criticism.
    Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 1 June 2025
  • Following a torrent of polls released over the last few weeks, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, the few polls released this week indicate a slight uptick in support for the president.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Carin León brought a touch of Mexico — and a whole lot of country-rock swagger — to Spotify House on Friday night.
    Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 7 June 2025
  • And yet for all the cursing and swagger and bluster, there was an unmistakable air of anxiety pervading the glassy convention center.
    Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Small disruptions—even those that last just a few hours—can ripple through workplace morale and trust.
    William Arruda, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
  • Two bulls, each weighing over 1,300 pounds, ram heads and jab horns as their muscles ripple under velvety coats.
    Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Still, on May 4, India lowered sluice gates at the Baglihar dam, effectively reducing the downstream flow to Pakistan through the Chenab River by up to 90%, according to the Hindustan Times.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 7 May 2025
  • This option returns the pond to its full former glory including sluice gate repair, dredging the full pond area and recreational enhancements to include 5.7 acres of open water and two fishing platforms.
    Erik S. Hanley, Journal Sentinel, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Einstein lives up to her name with sass and smarts, the diva of the bunch.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The Innocents Abroad is written with a new curiosity and sass, unburdened by any lingering sense of inferiority to Europe.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Most recently, fears that the Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway would fail caused more than 180,000 people to evacuate.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The spillway was built in 1931 to remove pressure on the levees protecting New Orleans by diverting up to 250,000 cubic feet of fresh water per second into Lake Pontchartrain’s brackish waters.
    Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Occasionally, the Army Corps will open spillways and floodways that are designed to divert floodwaters during extreme weather events.
    Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • The organization also manages the area’s floodways, including the Central City Flood Control Project, which would create new bypass channels that are an integral part of future Panther Island development.
    Kate Marijolovic, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swash. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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