as in slap
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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as in to smack
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
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Recent Examples of swat
Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 15 Dec. 2024
On Wednesday, Brunson was victim to two highlight swats: one with Wemby feet away but using his wingspan to swat the opening trey in the first half and another on a floater attempt that was initially deemed goaltending.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 25 Dec. 2024
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2025
Note also the enthusiasm for teammates, and the knack for swatting pitches the other way or pulling them far.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swat
Noun
One of those four swats came on Clint Capela’s dunk try off a lob with 2:35 left and the Bucks up by five.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 15 Dec. 2024
On Wednesday, Brunson was victim to two highlight swats: one with Wemby feet away but using his wingspan to swat the opening trey in the first half and another on a floater attempt that was initially deemed goaltending.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 25 Dec. 2024
Verb
Hartford audiences already aware, and refuse to swat it away.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2025
Note also the enthusiasm for teammates, and the knack for swatting pitches the other way or pulling them far.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swat
Noun
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Two minutes later, Pastrnak redirected a slap pass from Morgan Geekie into the net to tie it 2-all.—
Jimmy Golen,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2025
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Closing the door to these studios during the extreme hype of a console’s launch window would be a slap to the face.—
Jason Evangelho,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Then with two outs, Amed Rosario smacked an RBI single.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2025
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Once the screen comes, Dort smacked his inside leg into Hayes’ outside one.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Rami Sinno is crouched beside a filing cabinet, wrestling a beach-ball sized disc out of a box, when a dull thump echoes around his laboratory.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Then the silence was broken by the loud thump of Olive’s .38/40.—
Horace R. Hinkley,
Outdoor Life,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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During their drive back to the house, Leo slams on the brakes.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2025
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Paxton and Cornyn have traded barbs back and forth for years, with the attorney general slamming Cornyn’s votes in favor of additional U.S. aid to Ukraine and bipartisan legislation on gun safety following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The endorsement was a boon to Mr. Cuomo, 67, and a blow to his rivals.—
Nicholas Fandos,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The result is just tit-for-tat subversion and another blow to America’s supposedly nonpartisan system of justice.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The next day, animal control officers returned to the home and knocked on the door, but no one answered, authorities said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2025
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Jey landed a big uppercut early in the match that knocked Gunther on his butt.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That the episode doesn’t engage with weightier questions around representation and A.I. only makes its bittersweet ending, in which Brandy is gifted another A.I. prototype of Dorothy, land with a thud.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
17 Apr. 2025
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In the new court filing, phone records show Mortensen tried calling the other four roommates – but got no response – around the time when security camera from a residence close to the home picked up at 4:17 a.m. distorted audio of voices, a whimper, followed by a loud thud, and a barking dog.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Houston threw numbers behind the ball for most of the game to avoid getting hit by the deadly counterattacks and transitions KC has been known for.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2025
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New York’s forward did so by staying attached through the bazillion screens Detroit set and recovering when he was hit.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swat. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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