swam

verb

Definition of swamnext
past tense of swim
1
as in spun
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around his head was swimming after he was given so much information on his first day at the new job

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovered
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air there appeared to be an oily film swimming on the water

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 swam That includes a robotic ray driven by light-sensitive rat heart cells in 2016 and a fish robot with human heart cells that swam on its own in 2022. — New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026 The crews gave up hours later after the shark repeatedly swam past or dived to avoid the boats, remaining inside the canal. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026 During a July visit by the Tribune, four whales from Marineland swam alongside each other and played in an expansive tank. — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026 The cast swam in the ocean every day; Buckley and O’Connor hiked the volcano every morning. — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026 Lifeguards from the department swam to the breakwater, rescued Dubray and brought her aboard a fire boat. — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2026 Thinking the only safe way to get Sandra out would be by breaking a window, Joe swam through the kitchen and escaped out the back doorway. — Ren Larson, ProPublica, 2 Sep. 2026 All but one happened between June and mid-September as people sat under a tree in a park, swam at the beach and rode bikes through a neighborhood. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 The Piper remained largely intact as Tenkley, wearing a bikini, swam away from the aircraft with the help of a lifeguard who arrived in moments to assist. — Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swam
  1. spun
  2. hovered
  3. sailed
  4. floated
  5. drifted
Verb
  • In the book, Lucy and Mina, the two main female characters caught up in the web of horror spun by the terrifying Transylvanian count Dracula, stand out as strong, intelligent and courageous.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Wilson wrapped up and spun Mateer on a quarterback sack, the ball coming loose again, with Cole opportunistically on the spot to scoop up the fumble and return it 23 yards to the Oklahoma 11.
    — Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of spun
Verb
  • In fact, total non-pensioner benefits have hovered between 4% and 5% for more than 40 years.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Jordan Addison has hovered just below the 1,000-yard mark for two of his previous three seasons.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of hovered
Verb
  • Aubrey's 65-yard attempt with about 30 seconds left in the second quarter sailed wide left.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Before its commissioning, the destroyer sailed from Norfolk to Florida and then traveled to Alaska through the Panama Canal.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sailed
Verb
  • Ellison floated the idea of having the companies leave California if the suit wasn’t dropped, while states like Texas and Tennessee actively courted the mogul.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Beckwith, the deputy director and chief curator at the Guggenheim Museum and curator of Documenta16, floated through the room chatting with fellow honorees and guests.
    — Brianna J. Heath, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of floated
Verb
  • After the young widow stepped back behind the black curtains, where scoops of mint chocolate chip in disposable bamboo bowls drifted through a room of donors and White House staffers, the evening moved from celebration to wake.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Now Alicia, a New York dame, drifted over to the orange jackets.
    — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of drifted

Browse Nearby Words

swallows
swam
swami
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Cite this Entry

“Swam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swam. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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