switch 1 of 2

1
as in to swap
to give up (something) and take something else in return switched the real grapes for fake ones switched the day of his flight from Thursday to Friday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to flick
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions cows lazily switching their tails and chewing their cud

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in to reverse
to change (as an opinion) to the contrary a politician who has switched his position on a number of issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

switch

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in flick
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down that telltale switch of the cat's tail meant there was a mouse under the piano

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of switch
Verb
As the late afternoon banter switched between talk of CIA plots to assassinate Castro and President Kennedy’s failure to provide air cover during the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, one retiree stood up and quietly stepped away from his friends. Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025 The first sign that his tour might excite the public came on the opening day, in Omaha, where the organizers switched venues to accommodate a rush of attendees and still had to turn hundreds more away. Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Noun
Jana used to live in a house where water came from a tap and light appeared with the flick of a switch. Tareq Al Hilou, CNN Money, 21 May 2025 The fact that Lionel would follow him there for love alone signals a switch in their relationship, where worldly David has become the cautious one and Lionel the one who knows his mind and stays firm. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • Ayers is a pilot, and previously flew F-22s in the U.S. Air Force before swapping out jets for rockets, after being selected for NASA Astronaut Group 23 in 2021.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
  • Add white sneakers and a raffia bag for a relaxed daytime outfit, or swap in leather sandals and a red lip for an evening out.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • With it, of course, comes a fair share of big budget popcorn flicks, as well as a collection of curious smaller movies that may just capture the cultural conversation.
    Dan Heching, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
  • Rabanne’s signature metal mesh seems in its element as Brazilian funk dancers shimmy their shoulders and flick their feet at lightning speed.
    Miles Socha, Footwear News, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • At 19, Johnson married his wife Daphne and initially, was able to hide his drug use from her, the Johnson's clemency petition said.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • Enhanced measurement capabilities: Amazon continues investing in Amazon Marketing Cloud with new UI templates and simplified queries, suggesting a commitment to transparency rather than hiding attribution.
    Kiri Masters, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • At the last minute, the district reversed its decision.
    Sam Gillette, People.com, 23 May 2025
  • Soon after that report, OpenAI reversed its policies toward secondary share sales, allowing current and former employees to sell in the tender offers.
    Hayden Field, CNBC, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • But Fahy, Alcock, and director Nicole Kassell are also very good at their jobs, and so even downright bizarre moments like Simone chewing Michaela’s used gum or Devon randomly licking a landscaper’s neck wind up making a strange sort of sense.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
  • Jose shrugs, pleads with her to not lick anyone at the inn, and leaves.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • We're joined now by one of the top Republicans in the Senate, Wyoming's John Barrasso, the whip.
    CBS News, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Yet Jesus becomes angered by the desecration of the temple and begins tipping over the merchants' tables in the holy place while wielding a righteous whip.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Cash — who has made several tracks with Charli XCX — said the flap had turned him into a star in Italy.
    Alex Marshall, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • The screws securing the upper flap are loose, and one is missing.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • With his latest swipe, Duffy is looking to undercut the reason for congestion pricing by arguing that the funds generated aren’t being used to keep riders safe.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 May 2025
  • Curry’s injured thumb was famously the target of borderline dirty swipes by the Rockets.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on switch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!