swoop

1 of 2

verb

swooped; swooping; swoops

intransitive verb

: to move with a sweep

transitive verb

: to gain or carry off in or as if in a swoop
usually used with up
swooper noun

swoop

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of swooping
2
: a single concentrated and quickly effective effort
was done in one swoop
often used with fell
solved everything at one fell swoop

Examples of swoop in a Sentence

Verb The police swooped in and captured the criminals.
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.
Verb
An employee who is secure in their place in the organization can rest assured that they will not be demoralized by someone else swooping in and undermining their decisions or undercutting their authority. Joe Altieri, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Watch on Deadline Previously staffing on Netflix’s opioid crisis drama Painkiller and Starz’s Hunting Wives, Hettinger is also known for scripting Dyersville, a forthcoming crime thriller that Netflix and the Obama’s Higher Ground swooped on earlier this year in a mid-six-figure spec deal. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
While this dilemma cannot be solved overnight or in one fell swoop, this plan lays a foundation for creating a small business ecosystem that everyone can access. Rhett Buttle, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 The complex is derived from Japanese superfoods like green tea, rice, and algae to hydrate, resurface, and plump your skin—all in one fell swoop. Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for swoop 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of Middle English swopen to sweep, from Old English swāpan — more at sweep

First Known Use

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of swoop was in 1566

Dictionary Entries Near swoop

Cite this Entry

“Swoop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swoop. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

swoop

1 of 2 verb
: to dive or pounce suddenly like a hawk on its prey

swoop

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of swooping
2
: a single quickly effective effort
often used with fell
solved everything at one fell swoop

More from Merriam-Webster on swoop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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