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Glite Dictionary
in the swim

in the swim

1 8.6
Someone who takes part in and knows what is happening in a group
  • idiom
translation icon : al tanto
  • She is always in the swim when it comes to the latest fashion trends in our group.

Examples

  • After joining the club, he felt finally in the swim with the other members during the meetings.

  • The new project manager is really in the swim, constantly updating the team on all developments.

  • It's all in the swim from here on out.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Even though there's no surf, he's right back in the swim.

    Blue Hawaii (1961)

Synonyms

in the loop
vsin the swim
  • Informal
32 4.0

Knowing what is happening in a group or project

emphasizes active involvement and participation rather than only being informed

Antonyms

out of it
  • Informal
16 7.5

Not aware of what is happening because you did not hear or read about it

disengaged
1 4.7

Not involved or interested in something and not paying attention

How Informed

in the swim
1 8.6
in the loop
  • Informal
32 4.0
aware
∞ 2.7
out of touch
92 4.9

Surface Forms

in the swim positive

Morphology

in + the + swim

The literal meanings of 'in' and 'swim' (to be inside; to move in water) provide a loose metaphor of being 'in the flow' or current, but the sense 'actively involved or informed' is a figurative extension not directly predictable from the parts. This metaphorical mapping may be partially accessible (and parallels exist in other languages), but a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words is unlikely to reliably infer the idiomatic meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

In the swim probably comes from the image of standing in the main flow of a river—being in the swim means you are where the water moves and carries things along. So, someone 'in the swim' is part of that flow and is 'involved' or 'informed' about what is happening.