Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
↔️ To move back and forth ⚾ To hit with force ⚾ A strong hit 🏃 Active period 🪁 A seat for swinging 🔄 To change quickly 🎷 Lively jazz style 🗳️ To influence result ↔️ A back-and-forth movement 🎷 To play with rhythm 🔄 To swap partners 🎉 To party 💃 A dance move
to swing

to swing

256 1.5
Move the arm in a wide sweep to try to hit something
  • verb
  • /swɪŋ/
: golpear
  • Every time i swung a hammer in yuma, i was aiming at that target.
  • swing the bat
  • swing the torso
  • swing a sword

When Keith swings the broomstick and hits me in the stomach.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Synonyms

to hit
vsto swing
∞ 1.0

To strike someone or something with force

focuses on a wide arm movement rather than mere impact
to punch
vsto swing
570 1.4

To hit someone or something quickly with a closed fist

uses a wide sweeping arm motion instead of a tight fist blow
to strike
vsto swing
508 2.4

To hit someone or something with force

is about a sweeping arm or object motion rather than force
to slap
vsto swing
472 1.0

Hit quickly with the flat part of the hand

uses a broader arm sweep rather than a quick flat hand strike
to slam
vsto swing
375 2.3

To close or hit something with great force and make a loud noise

involves a sweeping arm movement rather than loud force
to smash
vsto swing
170 3.3

To hit something with great force, often in sport

uses a sweeping motion that is less focused on extreme force
to jab
vsto swing
48 3.3

To poke quickly and sharply with a finger, hand, or object

involves a wider sweeping arc not a short sharp poke
to drive
vsto swing
39 3.5

To hit a ball hard to make it go far

uses a wide arm motion which may not aim for power
to strike out
vsto swing
19 4.1

Move suddenly toward someone to try to hit or kick them

is a deliberate arm sweep aimed to hit rather than a sudden lunge
to bop
vsto swing
  • Informal
11 6.1

To hit someone quickly in a light, playful way

uses a broad hitting motion rather than a quick playful tap
to swipe
vsto swing
10 3.7

To hit with a quick swinging movement of the arm, hand, or paw

allows attempts that may not make contact
to cut
vsto swing
1 5.3

To hit a ball to give it spin

is a general sweeping arm movement not limited to sport
to stroke
vsto swing
1 3.5

To hit a ball with a smooth, controlled movement in sports

uses a broader sweeping arm motion rather than smooth control
to swack
vsto swing
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To hit someone or something hard

emphasizes broad arm movement instead of only raw impact
to swig
vsto swing
  • Archaic
1 8.6

To hit something very hard with your fist or a bat

describes a sweeping arm motion rather than concentrated heavy blows

Antonyms

to miss
549 1.0

To fail to reach or hit something you aim for

Idioms

in full swing
23 3.5

At the peak of activity when many people are active and working

to swing for the fences
  • Informal
7 7.3

Try something risky to get a big reward

swing and a miss
  • Informal
5 7.0

An attempt that fails to get the result you wanted

in the swing of things
3 6.8

Being comfortable and taking part easily in an activity

back into the swing of things
  • Informal
3 5.3

To start doing your normal work and activities after a break

to swing both ways
  • NSFW
2 8.3

To be attracted to both men and women or to like different things

Phrasal Verbs

to swing by
80 3.7

Visit a place for a short time while on the way somewhere

to swing around
22 3.2

Turn quickly to face the opposite direction

to swing out
7 3.9

To move outward in a wide, sweeping motion

to swing wide
3 3.9

Open a door or gate fully by moving it on its hinges

to swing through
  • US
1 3.9

Stop at a place for a short time while going somewhere else

to swing over
1 5.8

Make someone change their opinion or decision

to swing about
1 4.8

To turn quickly to face another direction or change your opinion suddenly

to swing from branch to branch
3.8

Move quickly through trees like monkeys by holding and letting go of branches

to swing round the circle
  • UK
9.9

To go around the group to hear each person's opinion

Compounds

mood swing
42 3.9

A sudden change from one emotion to another without warning

swing voter
23 4.2

A person who sometimes votes for different political parties and can decide the result of an election

swing set
16 1.0

A frame with seats hanging by chains or ropes for children to swing back and forth

swing shift
  • US
3 4.3

An evening work shift from late afternoon until around midnight

swing door
2 3.1

A door on hinges that opens in both directions

swing music
2 3.9

A lively style of jazz with a strong beat that big bands play

baseball swing
1 2.9

The movement a player makes with a bat to hit a thrown ball

swing set
1 3.7

A group of swing jazz songs played together to make people dance

How Hard

to smash
278 2.1
to whack
193 5.5
to smack
183 3.5
to swipe
10 3.7
to swing
256 1.5
to tap
98 1.0

Surface Forms

swing infinitive
swinging present participle
swings third person singular
swung past
swung past participle

Etymology

Swing meaning 'to hit' comes from the same idea of a wide arm movement; you 'swing' your arm or an object in a sweeping motion to try to hit something. That is why in sports a good swing is the action of trying to strike the ball.