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
The celebrities sucked up a lot of air, and so the show leaned in, switching to all-celebrity casts. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 Slavi Binev, 60, had switched to politics after a successful career as Taekwondo fighter to become member of the National Assembly and of the European Parliament elected on the ticket of nationalist parties. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
As the series moves to Hulu (and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers), the host switch to Tinx is just one of the changes that viewers will see. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026 According to prosecutors, Benson posted videos of himself doing leg switches and wheelies on his electric motorcycle to social media. — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for switch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switch
Verb
  • The Falcons swapped veteran quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, signing Andy Dalton and releasing Cooper Rush, the team announced Monday.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Once the animals had learned to associate each of the six scents with a particular reward location, researchers started swapping the scent-location pairs.
    — Sean Mccabe, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Instamall plans to keep adding brands, but it is already hooked into the inventory systems of its existing partners, so expanding the service to new cities could be as easy as flicking a switch.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Suarez fought off an Atlanta defender to reach the ball in the box and flicked a lofted cross toward Berterame.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Working in quick, gentle strokes, Abrams used her brush and sprayer to peel away dirt hiding the floral details on Eliza’s grave before moving to the next.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The subsequent furor is about hiding it from the public and about a brazen plea to keep the Democratic Party and three of its candidates from advertising those facts.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Some aligned with Bolsonaro propose lowering corporate taxes and reversing tax code changes set to take effect in January.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The overlapping legislation and federal constitutional requirements to provide language support would be complex to reverse at the federal level.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Occupying a particularly picturesque and secluded stretch of headland, where Aleppo pines drape rocky coves and the cerulean Mediterranean waves lick the similarly shaded horizon, the resort is the hospitality group’s first foray into the Balearics.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Some wagged their tails as people approached, licked their hands and even liked to be petted.
    — Alida de Flamingh, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • By the report’s own map, Nvidia sits at the other end of the whip as the single largest supplier in the chain.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Gradually beat in powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Aircraft-grade redundancy includes multiple backups for electric power, computing, and connections to flaps and other control surfaces.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Birkin’s bag was black box, a kind of calf leather, with gilded brass hardware, fashioned in a rectangular shape with saddle stitching and a burnished flap embossed with the initials JB.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Discover card originations also increased year over year for the first time since the deal closed, while Capital One's swipe-fee revenue continued to climb.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Because the pigment sits inside the skin instead of on top of it, this isn’t the same as a swipe of freckle pen that rinses off at night.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Switch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switch. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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