as in smacking
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
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Recent Examples of swatting
Mhoon locked in on defense, swatting away shots as TKA’s rim protector while coming up with huge rebounds.
—
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
After Hadel pushes Brown back once, Brown is shown swatting at him again.
—Mathew Schumer, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
Over the course of the last six months, McBrien and the AJC team traveled to the small town of Elberton for an investigation that led them to granite quarries, graves, a swatting raid and a deep dive in explosives.
—Hugo Rojo, AJC.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Then Bryant flew in and stole the moment by swatting it away.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Porter’s 5-year-old son struggled in vain to protect his mother, with Freeman swatting him aside as the child tried to push the killer off her body, according to Bronx Homicide Detective Robert Klein, who took over the investigation into the cold case murder in 2021.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
The homes and businesses of at least 12 Indiana state lawmakers were targeted with bomb threats and swatting in December as the legislature weighed whether to redraw congressional districts.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 15 Jan. 2026
The senior guard caught up with it without much room to spare and jumped in the air, twisting and then swatting the ball off a defender right behind her as the Mighty Macs kept possession.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Several schools in Yuba County were on lockdown Thursday for what turned out to be a swatting call received at Yuba Gardens Intermediate School.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
After Hadel pushes Brown back once, Brown is shown swatting at him again.
—Mathew Schumer, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
Over the course of the last six months, McBrien and the AJC team traveled to the small town of Elberton for an investigation that led them to granite quarries, graves, a swatting raid and a deep dive in explosives.
—Hugo Rojo, AJC.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Then Bryant flew in and stole the moment by swatting it away.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Porter’s 5-year-old son struggled in vain to protect his mother, with Freeman swatting him aside as the child tried to push the killer off her body, according to Bronx Homicide Detective Robert Klein, who took over the investigation into the cold case murder in 2021.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
The homes and businesses of at least 12 Indiana state lawmakers were targeted with bomb threats and swatting in December as the legislature weighed whether to redraw congressional districts.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 15 Jan. 2026
The senior guard caught up with it without much room to spare and jumped in the air, twisting and then swatting the ball off a defender right behind her as the Mighty Macs kept possession.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Several schools in Yuba County were on lockdown Thursday for what turned out to be a swatting call received at Yuba Gardens Intermediate School.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swatting
Verb
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Her furious attempts to extricate herself from Ramirez ended with her smacking her head on the parking lot asphalt and Ramirez hitting her in the right eye, according to the arrest report.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Shepard attached the head of a 6-iron golf club to his sample collecting tool and was recorded smacking a couple golf balls across the lunar landscape.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After hitting 11 of their first 17 attempts, the Bison finished 14 of 29.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The problem is the film just keeps hitting this same note over and over without ever caring to explore the psychology that underpins this.—
Chase Hutchinson,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Everyone erupted into cheers, slapping their 14-year-old brother on the back and jostling him playfully.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Itoje was sin-binned in the 64th for illegally slapping the ball in a maul and 13 men were playing Italy's 15.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Phillips then allegedly rushed the officer, wrapped his arms around him and lifted him off the ground before slamming him onto the pavement, leaving the officer with a concussion and a head laceration.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Avoid hard acceleration or slamming the brakes Maintaining a steady speed while driving is another way to maximize fuel efficiency.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hellebuyck misplayed the puck behind the net on a wraparound, inadvertently knocking it out front for Reichel to swat in.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Its branches reached all the way to the top floor of the house, almost knocking at the windows when prompted by the wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The 18-year-old was taken off the oval in 2022 for allegedly punching a high school classmate in the groin, leading to a felony charge that was reduced to a misdemeanor before eventually being dropped.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
18 Mar. 2026
-
In early January 2025, police were called to the Aliquippa VFW when Ours was accused of repeatedly punching and strangling another man, later identified as Preston Coleman.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On March 7, residents in parts of Havana took to the streets to express their discontent by banging pots and pans and lighting bonfires.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Amid a deep humanitarian crisis and blackouts lasting more than 20 hours a day, Cubans are taking to the streets to express their discontent with pot-banging protests and demanding freedom.—
Sarah Moreno
March 16,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His young nephew provided the entertainment, whacking a plastic ball around with a toy club on the lawn, replicating pro golf mannerisms a little too closely.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
15 Mar. 2026
-
These plays are often brilliant, and even lesser variants are fun to watch, because piñata-whacking itself is a naughty thrill, a cathartic fantasy for anyone with a family and/or a secret.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swatting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swatting. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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