swatted; swatting
: to hit with a sharp slapping blow usually with an instrument (such as a bat or flyswatter)
swatted the ball for a home run
1
: a powerful or crushing blow
2
: a long hit in baseball
especially
: home run
swatted; swatting; swats
: to make a false report of an ongoing serious crime in order to elicit a response from law enforcement (such as the dispatch of a SWAT unit)
Special FBI Agent John Bennett of San Francisco said in a statement to CBS, that those who swat want to see "a tactical response" – specifically, they "want to see armed officers, they want to see a bomb, dogs, helicopters – that's all part of the fun."—
Bryn Lovitt
Bryn LovittThe congresswoman had just been "swatted," or subjected to a malicious act in which a person hides their identity, then calls the cops and reports a violent crime at the address of whomever they're targeting.—Ryan Grenoble
Ryan Grenoble
swatting
noun
Prosecutors say that in addition to initiating the swatting episode in Kansas … Mr. Barriss made dozens of other, similar calls to emergency and law enforcement agencies across the country during which he falsely reported bomb threats, active shootings and other criminal activity at high schools, shopping malls and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
—Matt Stevens and Andrew R. Chow
Matt Stevens and Andrew R. Chow
often attributive
: a police or military unit specially trained and equipped to handle unusually hazardous situations or missions
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- belt
- biff
- bludgeon
- bob
- bonk
- bop
- box
- bust
- clap
- clip
- clobber
- clock
- clout
- crack
- hammer
- hit
- knock
- nail
- paste
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slog
- slug
- smack
- smite
- sock
- strike
- swipe
- tag
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- whack
- whale
- zap
Noun (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Examples of swat in a Sentence
Verb (1)
She swatted the fly with a magazine.
The cat was swatting the injured mouse with its paw.
He swatted the tennis ball out of bounds.
Noun (1)
the impatient toddler got a swat on his wrist for stepping into the street by himself
Recent Examples on the Web
Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
The man swats it away without making any other movement.
—Colin Sheeley, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2024
W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 June 2024
The anti-gay laws aim to swat gay people down and send them back to the closet.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for swat 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Evans then allegedly turned the gun on the man, firing several shots as the victim attempted to swat away his gun with the baton.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
The man swats it away without making any other movement.
—Colin Sheeley, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
Reagan bounced back from a shaky first debate in 1984 to swat away age concerns in the second one.
—W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 June 2024
The anti-gay laws aim to swat gay people down and send them back to the closet.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for swat
Dictionary Entries Near swat
Cite this Entry
“Swat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swat. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Swat
geographical name
river 400 miles (644 kilometers) long in Pakistan flowing into the Kabul River
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