to swoosh

Examples

• All

• The flight attendant swooshes past, repeating her command in a voice that sounds recorded.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Just then the front door swooshed open, and in walked a tallish, skinny boy about fourteen.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Batman continues to swoosh ever downward.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Before they can fire, Catwoman swooshes down, thrashing them to the ground.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Just then, accompanied by murmurs as in the first rustling of a theater curtain, the dining room doors swooshed open.

  Fiction book (2001)

• The glider gracefully swooshes down through the castle and through the glorious vista.

  Fiction book (1991)

• Veronica was fearlessly climbing jungle gyms and swooshing down steep slides.

  Fiction book (1992)

• They don't think nothin' of packin' up their suitcases and pilin' on one of them big steamships, and, swoosh, they're gone, child.

  A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

• As the train approached, it swooshed past the platform with a loud rush of wind.

• When the roller coaster dropped, riders felt a thrilling swoosh as they descended.

Synonyms

S

to scoot

vsto swoosh

• Informal

72 2.8

Move a short distance quickly, often to make room or hurry

lacks any sound emphasis, focusing on sudden or playful motion

Z

to zoom

vsto swoosh

27 1.3

To move very quickly, often making a low buzzing sound

shows very fast travel more than a focus on whistling

W

to whirr

vsto swoosh

24 6.7

To make a soft, steady buzzing sound often from things that move fast like fan blades

focuses on constant vibration rather than a single rushing sound

W

to whiz

vsto swoosh

• US

19 4.5

To move very quickly, often making a humming or hissing sound

is similar but often highlights different kinds of sound

S

to swish

vsto swoosh

19 4.1

To move with a soft hissing or rustling sound in a smooth sweep

highlights smooth sweeping motion rather than simple fast rushing

W

to whoosh

vsto swoosh

17 4.5

To move very quickly and make a rushing sound

moves quickly but not necessarily very fast

W

to whistle

vsto swoosh

16 3.3

To move quickly while making a high whistling sound

emphasises high whistling rather than broad rushing sound

Z

to zing

vsto swoosh

4 5.1

To move quickly while making a short, sharp sound

is more about energy and sharp noise than whistling rush

W

to whizzle

vsto swoosh

2 9.5

To make a high, sharp sound while moving quickly through the air

emphasises the whizzing or hissing tone rather than broad rushing

W

to whish

vsto swoosh

1 8.2

To move quickly while making a soft rushing sound

is similar but often stresses the sweeping quality

W

to whizz along

vsto swoosh

• UK

1 5.1

To move very fast, often making a soft rushing sound like a car or train

is like quick motion but with lighter, less sharp noise

W

to whiffle

vsto swoosh

1 7.3

To move or blow gently, making a soft rustling sound

is more about light gusts or soft noise than hard rushing

W

to woosh

vsto swoosh

• Informal

1 7.9

To move very quickly and make a rushing sound

is similar but lacks the strong sibilant quality

V

to voom

vsto swoosh

1 9.9

To move very quickly and make a rushing sound

focuses more on quickness than on smooth continuous motion

W

to whush

vsto swoosh

• UK

1 8.6

To move quickly while making a soft rushing sound

is similar but usually refers to stronger sound and force

S

to swosh

vsto swoosh

9.6

To move with a soft hissing or whooshing sound

is about moving with sound rather than causing the motion

W

to wiffle

vsto swoosh

8.4

To make a soft swishing sound when something moves quickly through the air

focuses on gentle, airy sound versus louder rushing tones

Antonyms

L

to linger

215 3.7

To stay in a place longer than expected because you do not want to leave

C

crawl

4 1.2

A slow movement made by moving on hands and knees or by dragging the body

How Fast

to zoom

27 1.3

to whoosh

17 4.5

to swoosh

3 5.6

to sweep

131 2.1

to glide

78 2.9

Surface Forms

Etymology