sideswipe

1 of 2

verb

side·​swipe ˈsīd-ˌswīp How to pronounce sideswipe (audio)
sideswiped; sideswiping; sideswipes

transitive verb

: to strike with a glancing blow along the side
sideswiped a parked car

sideswipe

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the action of sideswiping
b
: an instance of sideswiping : a glancing blow
2
: an incidental deprecatory remark, allusion, or reference

Examples of sideswipe in a Sentence

Verb The taxi sideswiped a parked car. Noun She took a sideswipe at the senator's voting record.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Fisher allegedly lost control of his vehicle and sideswiped the pursuing officer while trying to make his getaway. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025 Police said the driver of the Mustang, later identified as Fisher, lost control of the car and sideswiped Gallagher's patrol car. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
According to Indiana State Police, the Penske truck's driver was not in the correct lane causing the driver of a coal truck to move onto the emergency shoulder to avoid a sideswipe crash. Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Dec. 2024 The head-on crash caused a silver Toyota Camry behind the Jeep to be involved in a minor sideswipe, the California Highway Patrol said in a statement to FOX San Francisco. Louis Casiano, Fox News, 14 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for sideswipe 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1891, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sideswipe was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near sideswipe

Cite this Entry

“Sideswipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideswipe. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

sideswipe

1 of 2 verb
side·​swipe -ˌswīp How to pronounce sideswipe (audio)
: to hit along the side with a blow that bounces off at an angle
sideswiped a parked car

sideswipe

2 of 2 noun
1
: an instance of sideswiping : a blow from an angle that bounces off
2
: an indirectly related disapproving remark, allusion, or reference
a sideswipe at the senator's voting record

More from Merriam-Webster on sideswipe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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