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Glite Dictionary
to come out swinging

to come out swinging

13 7.5
To start something immediately with strong, aggressive action
  • phrasal verb
  • /kʌm aʊt ˈswɪŋɪŋ/
  • Informal
translation icon : salir a la ofensiva
  • President Obama came out swinging in a seemingly more direct, confrontational approach than prior appearances.
  • the president came out swinging
  • Trump came out swinging
  • Joe Biden came out swinging

And I want those hot men like that guy in the commercial to come out swinging and say this is not OK, right.

Examples

  • In the meantime, Democrats have come out swinging on the convention's first day.

    Blog text (4)

  • Yes, Obama came out swinging in the second debate and probably will in the third.

    Blog text (18)

  • We're gonna get back on our feet and come out swinging.

    Moonlight Mile (2002)

  • Next time out, he better come out swinging.

    Blog text (7)

  • You have to come out swinging.

    Blog text (34)

  • Oh boy, the champion came out swinging.

    Rocky III (1982)

  • Every time, the boy gets off the mat and comes out swinging.

    Blog text (32)

  • For better or worse, Microsoft came out swinging ahead of the Surface's launch.

    Blog text (2)

  • Biden will not play rope-a-dope, but will come out swinging.

    Blog text (1)

  • The team decided to come out swinging in the first half of the game to secure an early lead.

Synonyms

to go at it
vsto come out swinging
  • Informal
56 6.7

Act with a lot of energy, often fighting, arguing, or working hard

begins activities with aggressive energy and clear determination from the start
to strike hard
vsto come out swinging
3 3.7

Hit someone or something very hard

describes starting an event with ongoing aggressive energy rather than one single blow
to storm out of the blocks
vsto come out swinging
  • Informal
8.0

To start something very quickly and with a lot of energy

adds aggression and clear determination instead of just speed
to fly out of the blocks
vsto come out swinging
6.7

Begin something very quickly and with a lot of energy

focuses on speed and energy rather than aggressive determination at the outset

Antonyms

timidly
7 3.2

Move or speak in a shy, nervous way because of low confidence

How Aggressive

attack
548 3.2
charge
65 4.8
to come out swinging
  • Informal
13 7.5
to step in
240 3.2
to hang back
34 4.6

Surface Forms

come out swinging infinitive
came out swinging past
come out swinging past participle
coming out swinging present participle
comes out swinging third person singular

Morphology

come + out + swinging

The phrasal component 'come out' (to emerge/start) plus 'swinging' (vigorous motion) gives a clear sense of beginning energetically, so learners can partially infer the idea of an energetic start. However, the specific nuance of aggressive, combative determination (a boxing-derived metaphor) is metaphorical and not fully predictable from the literal meanings of the parts, making the expression only partially transparent.

Etymology

Come out swinging may come from boxing: a fighter will come out of the corner and start swinging punches right away to attack. That's why it means 'to begin something in a strong, aggressive way'.