as in to hit
US
to cause the side of a vehicle to come into forceful contact with the side of another vehicle
The taxi sideswiped a parked car.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sideswipe
The injury sideswiped a breakout season, one that put the former high school quarterback in line to be Notre Dame’s next great at a position where it’s had many.
—
Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024
Side bicycle detection: Side radars identify objects moving parallel to the vehicle to prevent drivers from merging into or sideswiping cyclists by showing an amber-colored icon in the side mirrors.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 13 Nov. 2024
Rafael, which is currently a Category 2 hurricane with wind speeds of 100 mph, will make landfall in Cuba today before sideswiping the Florida Keys on its journey northwest toward the Louisiana coast.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
In the last month, the team has hired a new general manager (Stan Bowman), made progress on the Leon Draisaitl contract negotiations and got sideswiped last week by a dual offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues.
—Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sideswipe 
Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024
Side bicycle detection: Side radars identify objects moving parallel to the vehicle to prevent drivers from merging into or sideswiping cyclists by showing an amber-colored icon in the side mirrors.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 13 Nov. 2024
Rafael, which is currently a Category 2 hurricane with wind speeds of 100 mph, will make landfall in Cuba today before sideswiping the Florida Keys on its journey northwest toward the Louisiana coast.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
In the last month, the team has hired a new general manager (Stan Bowman), made progress on the Leon Draisaitl contract negotiations and got sideswiped last week by a dual offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues.
—Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sideswipe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sideswipe
Verb
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Holguin hit 4 of 7 of her 3-pointer attempts to help the Lightning finish with eight overall.—
Dan Albano,
Orange County Register,
25 Jan. 2025
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Since the Arenado trade, McMahon has locked down the hot corner for the Rockies while hitting .243 in his career.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Stecher has been bumped to the No. 7 slot since Klingberg’s addition.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
The Athletic,
2 Feb. 2025
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On the first go, the camera bumped something, and Amer needed to adjust while staying in the emotion of the moment, but the team was able to adjust and pick up the remainder of the shot.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
31 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Hao orders them to swipe right on every profile on dating apps, and even encourages approaching random women en masse in shopping centers.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2025
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Join 9 others in the comments View Comments Shoplifters often swipe smaller items with higher price tags.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Galt Police Department urged residents with more information about this case to contact their communications center at 209-366-7000.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacramento Bee,
30 Jan. 2025
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The council also voted to ban Quinn from contacting town employees except through then-Town Manager Peggy Piontek and from entering nonpublic areas of Town Hall without Piontek’s permission over allegations Quinn harassed town staff.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2025
Verb
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All around is the faint yellow haze of light, striking everything from the doily laced curtains of the kitchen serving hatch to the bedroom quilt.—
Ingu Chen,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2025
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These presidential powers strike at the very heart of our government — they are more typically exercised by a king or a dictator.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The incident makes for the second time in two years that Quinn has been charged in relation to a car accident: He was arrested in 2023 after ramming a pickup truck into four vehicles and smacking a woman before fleeing, according to the Post and Courier.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Jan. 2025
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The deputy — perceiving he was being targeted — stopped being polite and rammed the bicyclist, sending him bouncing off the hood, sailing through hedges and crashing to the ground, a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office video shows.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near sideswipe
Cite this Entry
“Sideswipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sideswipe. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
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