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Glite Dictionary
to swing around

to swing around

10 3.2
Turn quickly to face the opposite direction
  • phrasal verb
  • /swɪŋ əˈraʊnd/
translation icon : darse la vuelta
  • Harry and the chair lift swing around and start heading down the hill.
  • swing around and face
  • swing around to look
  • swung around and hit

Examples

  • "I know." Annie closed her eyes briefly and then swung around to face him.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • I'm gonna swing around to get a shot.

    The Island (2005)

  • OK, well suppose you swing around and pick up a couple people to go to go to the site.

  • Let her have her feelings, and then... and then we can swing around and go home.

    Armageddon Time (2022)

  • We follow him some ways, then swing around in front of him.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • All right, let's swing around.

    Miracles from Heaven (2016)

  • All right, we'll swing around and watch out for the edges of the table.

  • Swing around, we'll pick it up.

    Hot Shots! (1991)

  • Meredith walked over to her bike, then suddenly, swinging around, she stood looking across at the lake.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Annie closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then swing around to confront her fears.

Synonyms

to turn around
vsto swing around
384 2.0

To move your body to face the opposite direction or change your attitude

is more abrupt and stresses sudden change of facing or stance
to spin
vsto swing around
227 1.0

To make something turn around quickly

is a sudden single turn to face the opposite direction rather than rapid spinning
to spin around
vsto swing around
38 2.1

To turn your body quickly in a circle many times

is a brief abrupt turn to face the opposite direction not continuous revolving
to wheel
vsto swing around
24 4.1

To turn quickly to face a different direction

is specifically about abrupt facing of the opposite direction including figurative uses
to whirl
vsto swing around
17 2.6

To turn quickly in a circle or twist

is an abrupt change to face the opposite direction rather than continuous circling
to whirl around
vsto swing around
9 3.7

To move quickly in a circle, often through the air

is a sudden turn to face the opposite direction not continuous spinning
to wheel around
vsto swing around
3 4.2

To turn quickly to face a different direction

is focused on ending up facing the opposite direction or changing stance
to turn round
vsto swing around
  • UK
1 1.4

Move your body so you face the opposite direction

is used for abrupt change both physically and in attitude
to about-face
vsto swing around
  • US
1 6.1

To turn quickly to face the other way

is less focused on precise 180 degree measurement
to swing about
vsto swing around
1 4.8

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

is specifically about turning to face the exact opposite direction

Antonyms

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

How Abrupt

to whip
99 3.4
to swing around
10 3.2
to veer
63 4.2
turn
485 1.0

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

swing + around

The meaning 'to turn abruptly and face the opposite direction' is directly derivable from combining 'swing' (move suddenly or in an arc) with 'around' (to the other side); it follows the common motion-verb + particle composition. This spatial, literal relation is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would very likely infer the expression's meaning.

Etymology

Swing around comes from a simple picture: you swing your body around, like turning a door quickly to look behind you. So it means 'to turn suddenly and face the opposite direction', either as a real quick turn or as a sudden change of attention or action.