switch 1 of 2

Definition of switchnext
1
as in to swap
to give up (something) and take something else in return switched the real grapes for fake ones switched the day of his flight from Thursday to Friday

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2
as in to flick
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions cows lazily switching their tails and chewing their cud

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3
4
as in to reverse
to change (as an opinion) to the contrary a politician who has switched his position on a number of issues

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

switch

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in flick
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down that telltale switch of the cat's tail meant there was a mouse under the piano

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3

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 switch
Verb
Pissed, Mary switches the set off. Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 Time to switch things up with a slider, which Schanuel also got a piece of. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Noun
The switch is located on the back of your Fingerling. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026 From dot-com darling to infrastructure workhorse Founded in 1984, Cisco is traditionally known as the backbone of the internet—its routers, switches, and networking hardware have powered enterprise and carrier networks for decades. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • Beyond swapping the tools, the main focus is on building the capabilities to manage these models in-house.
    Kshitij Dixit, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • Quinoa packs nutritional punch in a way that few other quick-cooking grains can match, and registered dietitians regularly recommend swapping it in for less fiber-rich staples like white rice.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Leeds wing-back James Justin was ready to direct a header past Kinsky but Kevin Danso just managed to flick the ball out of his path.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • The dragons stalk the island, flicking their huge tongues in hopes of picking up the scent of a deer, wild boar, or water buffalo — the latter two species introduced by humans — or rodents and other smaller reptiles, including baby Komodo dragons.
    Craig Stanford, Big Think, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • That day, Riley had been editing a sequence in which Corvette sneaks into a San Francisco condo owned by Christie, her fashion idol, by hiding inside a coffee delivery cart.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • Bugs also tend to hide inside packaging, seams, or even the food itself.
    Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • But that decline was reversed, thanks to a 1972 DDT ban and the bald eagles’ listing as an endangered species in 1978.
    Sarah Raza, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
  • Harbaugh plans to run a grueling training camp to try to better prepare the Giants for their early season games, but reversing a decade-plus of bad organizational habits and starts might take time.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 May 2026
  • At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Scientists are learning more about the underlying mechanisms of the whip, according to a presentation at this week’s meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Philadelphia.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
  • Gone are the Labrinth needle-drops and kinetic camerawork — whip-pans and dolly zooms have given way to wide shots on 65mm, as its cast of hot young actors delve deeper into a vast wasteland where hope does not spring eternal.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Under the flaps of his jacket there was a small tear in his T-shirt, directly over his left nipple, which protruded like a knot of purple rope.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
  • Just about the most-surprising thing that happened during our ordeal was that the wolves came up to our very tent flap every night in spite of the dreadful weather.
    Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • If a team member involved in car operations swipes into the paddock during a restricted period, the squad involved will have to explain the protocol breach to the stewards.
    Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • The podcast sponsors include the Southern Company, a major utility; the American Beverage Association, which represents the makers of sugary soda; Polymarket, an online prediction market; and the Merchants Payments Coalition, a group pushing for legislation to reduce credit-card swipe fees.
    Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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