swimmer

noun

swim·​mer ˈswi-mər How to pronounce swimmer (audio)
plural swimmers
: a person or animal that swims
a competitive swimmer
a fast/strong swimmer
… he liked to tell us that he had been a powerful swimmer in his youth, but I never saw him in actual water save once, and he then came out very promptly, shivering and upset.—H. L. Mencken
a dog that is an excellent swimmer

Examples of swimmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In addition to the heavy rain — with two to four inches expected — and flooding, the weather service said other hazards along the South Florida coast include rough conditions for boaters and swimmers. — Miami Herald Staff Report, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 The script was written by Laura Kosann — the writer currently adapting Ali Hazelwood’s steamy BDSM swimmer romance Deep End. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026 On Monday, the 33-year-old endurance swimmer emerged from the water after crossing the latitude of the California-Mexico border and became the first person to swim the length of California. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Peter and Rebecca’s sister Lauren will serve as Rebecca’s support swimmer. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swimmer

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swimmer was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing swimmer

Rhymes for swimmer

See All Rhymes for swimmer

Browse Nearby Words

swim meet
swimmer
swimmer's ear
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swimmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swimmer. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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