switch 1 of 2

Definition of switchnext
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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
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

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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
Their teammate had begun the season competing in boys’ races before switching to girls’ competition. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon dialed up more blitzes and two-high safety coverages in the second half, switching from a first-half strategy that was full of single-high and some three-man rushes. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
But our chief Brussels sprout ambassador is there with another bait-and-switch and says that’s not going to happen. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026 Part of this problem is that the crews have to deal with a bewildering array of buttons, switches, and other physical controls. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • Roberts had swapped Hernández and slumping Will Smith in the batting order, moving Hernández up to third and Smith down to fifth.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Another good option is to enhance peanut butter toast’s nutritional value by adding and swapping out different toppings.
    — Trista Chan, HEALTH, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Coming for a variety of longtime critics of the merger, opposition rose and suspicion about the settlement served to pour gasoline on an already flicking fire.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Paul Marie flicked a ball off the outside of his foot to Judd, who scored on a volley from the edge of the 6-yard box to give the Earthquakes a 3-0 lead in the 29th.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Ambarchi is the director who makes occasional cameos, hiding with his guitar in the shadows until stepping forward only when necessary.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Yet neither these prescriptions nor these assets have been enough to reverse France’s decline over the past two decades.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Its security relies on the belief that there’s no efficient algorithm capable of reversing the mathematical operations at its core.
    — Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Popo would lick her cone ever so gracefully, never dripping or messing up the lining of her magenta lipstick.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Majority whip Tom Emmer joins us as Republicans fight to keep control of the House.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Flanagan’s customary whip pans are here to surprise us with characters lurking outside the frame, but this isn’t a story with many external supernatural threats, and tension doesn’t build.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The flap is just the latest flight of fancy bringing bird decor into the design discourse.
    — Eleni N. Gage, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Note—a compact version of the company’s much larger flagship product—launched in February, and can display personal messages, weather, stock prices, Spotify songs, and hundreds of other options via 2,880 mesmerizing flaps controlled via an app.
    — Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • We’re hooked on the Panorama Chromatics Mascara in Burgundy Cashmere, a deep, warm burgundy that gives subtle drama and flatters every eye color, but the other two low-commitment shades—Blue Suede and Brown Leather—are also worth the swipe.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Ella Langley appeared to take a subtle swipe at fellow star Riley Green on a recent Instagram livestream.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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