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 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 Those who took part swam 1,500 meters in Lake Michigan, bicycled nearly 25 miles, and then ran a 10k. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 The younger competitors swam 100 meters, then biked just over 2 miles and ran a little over half a mile. — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Across the cove, less than a hundred yards away, another beaver swam to its lodge, also with a mouthful of sticks. — Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2026 Taylor Ruck swam the freestyle leg for Canada and picked up her third bronze of the night, having previously finished third in the 50-meter butterfly and 100-meter backstroke. — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 The family also appeared to get up close and personal with some sea creatures, and in one picture, Valente could be seen holding his son above the water as what appeared to be a stingray swam by. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026 Many swam several miles in the Mediterranean to avoid the heavily fortified border fence – leaving 88 people drowned in just 48 hours. — Kelsey Norman, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swam
  1. spun
  2. hovered
  3. sailed
  4. floated
  5. drifted
Verb
  • Singer spun a quality start (6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 5 Ks) in his Petco Park start against the Padres in June.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In recent months, Oaktree Capital Management co-founder Howard Marks spun two side-by-side villas on the market for a cool $70 million, while a $27 million property sought to set a record in the island’s Costa d’en Blanes region.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of spun
Verb
  • Only the Lake Ontario name appeared on Apple’s platform as of Monday afternoon, although the label hovered above Canada’s water border.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In 2026, the proportion hovered around 20% from January through July.
    — Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hovered
Verb
  • The Milestone Recognition Program also bestows benefits based on how many days passengers have sailed with the line.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • And then Timmy and Oli sailed east across the Pacific to America, a three-month voyage.
    — George Boedecker Jr, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of sailed
Verb
  • Outside the emergency room entrance, Katie Winschief floated above her body as paramedics put her in a wheelchair and rushed her toward the hospital doors.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The idea is to develop the technology for movable plants that can be floated off the coast and used to power the port and eventually cities.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of floated
Verb
  • As my mind drifted, the sound of a breeze, created by handheld fans, filled the room.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities said the driver drifted onto the right shoulder and attempted to return to the road.
    — Brandon Downs, CBS News, 27 Aug. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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