as in nerd
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits
every time he begged off a night at the pub—saying he had to study—his mates teased him for being a swot
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Recent Examples of swot
John McIntyre, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2023
So, swot up, then delegate.
—Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes, 4 May 2021
The Economist, 13 June 2020
Greenblatt might want to have a chinwag with some of his colleagues in the history department and swot up the biography of someone like Wisconsin’s Robert La Follette, a progressive populist politician perhaps more to his liking.
—Alex Beam, BostonGlobe.com, 2 May 2018
Noun
The Oxbridge and Ivy League colleges traditionally had disparaging terms for students who worked too hard and devoted themselves too diligently to learning: swot in England, grind in the United States.
—John McIntyre, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2023
So, swot up, then delegate.
—Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes, 4 May 2021
Verb
Yamada Jun, the IT expert, became the CEO and travelled to Germany to swot up on renewables.
—The Economist, 13 June 2020
Greenblatt might want to have a chinwag with some of his colleagues in the history department and swot up the biography of someone like Wisconsin’s Robert La Follette, a progressive populist politician perhaps more to his liking.
—Alex Beam, BostonGlobe.com, 2 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swot
Noun
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Take it from a film critic: Even gawky beta nerds get smothered by their own internalized masculinity.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2025
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Wednesday night gives us a grudge match worth watching, and a sliding-doors moment to bask in and nerd out.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The research consortium has data from tissue samples that represents a resource the field has never had—and that is yet to be fully analyzed.—
Atul Gawande,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
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His internet history was equally troubling, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which analyzed screenshots of his gaming accounts that contained Nazi and Hitler references.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Tapping into the geek chic aesthetic, the star completed the look with a pair of black trousers held up by red, white and blue suspenders supported by her shoulders.—
Starr Bowenbank,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Flamboyant theater geek Ezra (Matthew Finlan) makes his shrieks sound especially dramatic.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Tennis players are deduced, disadvantaged, deserved, and defaulted.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2025
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Alienware’s simulations deduced that this was the most effective way to move cool air into the system and push hot air out as quickly as possible—even more efficient than including a rear outward-facing exhaust fan.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The forthcoming decision was welcomed by Gilles Bissonnette, the legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, who said that Liu can now continue studying and working computer science.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Scientists teamed up to study the asteroid and discovered some surprising information about its possible origin and shape.—
Amanda Kooser,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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To find out more about HK Digital, visit their website.—
Tyler Shepherd,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
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West playoff picture The No. 1 Thunder will find out their first-round opponent Friday.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As the verdict was read, Way looked straight ahead.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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Way, who smiled as the initial $4 million verdict was read, was cleared on claims of false imprisonment and constructive discharge.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Investigators also learned that a friend of Johnson's had pawned a handgun for him.—
William Morris,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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Although his experience with Schumacher was not positive, the Mighty Ducks alum still learned valuable lessons from the coming-of-age film.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swot. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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