swam

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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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

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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 Although San Francisco Bay is cold, the fitness icon Jack La Lanne once swam to the island pulling a rowboat, and several children also made the swim. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026 At the event, children could make paper at an activity table and experience animals inside the museum, including Augie, a red-eared slider turtle, who swam to the surface briefly when visitors peered into the pool. Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 The problem was that, under a microscope, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and other motile bacteria almost instantly swam out of frame. Quanta Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026 Immediately, a 15-foot great white swam straight toward us. Michael H Gavshon, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026 Elsewhere in the photoshoot, Hosk swam in a pool, clad in a white graphic T-shirt and black underwear. Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026 The whale swam into an inlet on the small island of Poel, near the port of Wismar, on Tuesday and got stuck again. ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026 The Secret to Staying Sharp The actor, who previously swam and played tennis, now works out with a personal trainer twice a week — alongside Bartlett. Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026 When first responders arrived, a diver swam to the vehicle and connected it to a wrecker so the car could be pulled out of the water. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swam
Verb
  • Nikki Glaser spun an unfortunate situation into comedy gold.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • At the time, many observers, including former board members, wondered whether the company should be broken apart, with its manufacturing facilities sold or spun into a separate business.
    Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • When the runners landed in Antarctica, temperatures hovered around 12 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds reaching 25 knots.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Brent oil futures prices have averaged around $100 in April, while the spot price for the delivery of actual cargo has hovered closer to $121 per barrel.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Chase Elliott was supposed to be the guy, but that ship sailed a long time ago.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Both the attorney general and state treasurer Republican candidates sailed through their GOP nominations unchallenged at the convention Saturday.
    Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In a Signal group chat earlier this year with other Silicon Valley elite, Brin floated the idea of raising hundreds of millions of dollars to influence California politics, according to a person who saw the message.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2026
  • McCrory also floated the possibility of Henry starting a new program at Blue Hills to help people obtain judicial pardons.
    Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • By Wednesday’s Game 5 of this first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors, the motto had drifted down toward the bottom of the giveaways, and the font size shrank.
    Eric Koreen, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Their most familiar neighbor was the occasional manatee that drifted by their home.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swam. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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