1
a
: to propel oneself in water by natural means (such as movements of the limbs, fins, or tail)
b
: to play in the water (as at a beach or swimming pool)
2
: to move with a motion like that of swimming : glide
a cloud swam slowly across the moon
3
a
: to float on a liquid : not sink
b
: to surmount difficulties : not go under
sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish—
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster4
: to become immersed in or flooded with or as if with a liquid
potatoes swimming in gravy
5
: to have a floating or reeling appearance or sensation
1
a
: to cross by propelling oneself through water
swim a stream
b
: to execute in swimming
2
: to cause to swim or float
1
: a smooth gliding motion
2
: an act or period of swimming
3
: a temporary dizziness or unconsciousness
4
a
: an area frequented by fish
b
: the main current of activity
in the swim
Synonyms
Examples of swim in a Sentence
Verb
He's teaching the children to swim.
She swam across the pool.
He swam the English Channel.
The racers must swim the backstroke.
We watched the fish swimming in the river.
Ducks swam in the pond.
I felt weak and my head was swimming.
The room swam before my eyes.
Noun
the merest glimpse of blood sends him into a swim
Recent Examples on the Web
Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Pesto is expected to start swimming with other king penguin chicks when the molting process is done.
—Dan Aulbach, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
Catherine Garcia, theweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The open water swim is open to all athletes, with no qualification required to compete.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2024
SELF, 5 Aug. 2024
From fit, lining, waistband, fabric, and occasion, board shorts actually differ from swim trunks in many ways.
—Maverick Li, menshealth.com, 5 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for swim 
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
But, as usual, opponents are swimming against the tide of public opinion.
—Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Pesto is expected to start swimming with other king penguin chicks when the molting process is done.
—Dan Aulbach, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
Because nothing hits better than a hot toddy after a cold swim.
—Catherine Garcia, theweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The open water swim is open to all athletes, with no qualification required to compete.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Team Great Britain also mentioned their triathletes would be thoroughly scrubbed down with disinfectant after swimming, another strategy Dr. Sullivan greenlights—and the sooner post-swim, the better.
—SELF, 5 Aug. 2024
From fit, lining, waistband, fabric, and occasion, board shorts actually differ from swim trunks in many ways.
—Maverick Li, menshealth.com, 5 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for swim
Articles Related to swim
Dictionary Entries Near swim
Cite this Entry
“Swim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swim. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swim
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or period of swimming
2
: the main current of activity
in the swim of things
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