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
The junta swooped down on militants, dissidents, and innocents alike, conveying them in green Ford Falcons to secret sites without formal charges. Julia M. Klein, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025 The cashier should have immediately swooped in with a fresh carton and maybe a KitKat or a copy of People as damages. John Hodgman, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Noun
Renowned nationwide for its abundant natural beauty, Wyoming comes equipped with vast lakes, towering mountains and verdant forests—and to experience all three in one fell swoop, Paintrock Canyon Ranch is the perfect spot. Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 So, in one fell swoop, this bill will make your home hotter, your air conditioning bill higher, your clean energy job scarcer, America’s auto industry weaker and China happier. Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 9 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swoop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swoop. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

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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