Definition of swim - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
water movementintr. move through water using arms and legsintr.
- She learned to swim at a young age.
2.
competitionintr. compete in a swimming raceintr.
- He will swim in the 100-meter freestyle event.
3.
crossing watertr. cross a body of water by swimmingtr.
- They plan to swim the English Channel.
4.
smooth movementintr. move smoothly through air or over a surfaceintr.
- The bird seemed to swim through the sky.
5.
liquid coverageintr. be covered or surrounded by liquidintr.
- The pasta was swimming in sauce.
6.
medicalintr. appear to move around because of dizzinessintr.
- After spinning around, the room began to swim before his eyes..
7.
immersiontr. Rare immerse in water to separate partstr. Rare
- They swam the grain to remove the chaff.
Noun
1.
activityact of moving through water using limbs
- She went for a swim in the lake.
2.
participationUS being involved in current events or activitiesUS
- He likes to be in the swim of things.
3.
fishingRare UK part of a river frequented by fishRare UK
- He found a good swim for fishing.
4.
danceDated US 1960s dance move imitating swimming strokesDated US
- They performed the swim at the party.
Acronym
- Rumor has it swim accidentally emailed the entire office instead of one colleague.
Images of swim

part of a river frequented by fish
Expressions with swim
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
move against the current in a river or stream
The salmon swim upstream to spawn each year..
feel dizzy or confused, often from shock or excitement
The news made my head swim.
move in water opposite to the flow
The fish swim against the current to reach upstream.
move in the same direction as the water flow
The fish swim with the current to conserve energy.
succeed or fail without help
In this job, you have to sink or swim.
navigate a dangerous or competitive environment
In the corporate world, you must swim among the sharks.
have so much money it feels overwhelming
After winning the lottery, she swims in money.
used to emphasize an obvious answer
Is the sky blue? Can a duck swim?
used to say something is obviously true
Will you help me? Do ducks swim!
resist prevailing opinions or trends
He often swims against the tide in his political views.
engage in risky business activities
He decided to swim with sharks by investing in the volatile stock market.
compete with powerful or aggressive people
In the corporate world, you have to swim with the sharks to get ahead.
go along with prevailing opinion or behavior
He tends to swim with the tide to avoid conflicts.
appear to move or blur in vision
After standing up too quickly, the room seemed to swim before his eyes.
move to swim for fun or exercise
Let's go for a swim before dinner.
cap worn while swimming to reduce drag and protect hair
She put on her swim cap before getting in the pool.
move in a circular path in water
The fish swim in circles in the tank.
swim very well and effortlessly
She can swim like a fish in the ocean.
lightweight shorts for swimming or sunbathing
Swim trunks are essential for a day at the beach.
diaper for swimming, prevents solid waste leaks
The baby wore a swim diaper at the pool.
footwear worn for faster swimming
He wore swim fins to swim faster.
have a lot of something around you
She swims in books at her house.
competitive swimming event
She won three gold medals at the last swim meet..
distinct area of responsibility or activity in an organization
Each department in the company has its own swim lane to manage specific tasks..
Origin of swim
Old English, swimman (to move in water)
Terms with swim included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
swimming
swim using alternating overarm strokes and flutter kick
swimming
brief swim in water
sea gear
swim underwater using special equipment
swimming
brief swim or plunge in water
safety
life preserver for children learning to swim
swimming breathing
swim underwater and breathe using a snorkel
men's swimwear
male swim briefs with a bikini cut
beginner swim
swimming stroke mimicking a dog's paddling
swimming style
swim with simple, dog-like strokes
bird
water birds that swim and live on ponds or lakes
dog paddle
swim like a dog in water
swimming
swim using frog-like arm and leg motion
swim stroke
swimming style with no set form
swimming
swim on your back using alternating arms and legs
swimming
simple way to swim like a dog
swimming
swim naked in a natural body of water
swimming
go into water for a short swim or bath
swim stroke
swimming kick with rapid leg movements
swim move
swimming kick with a scissor-like leg motion
swimming
swim using coordinated arm and leg movements
movement
swim in the manner of a fish
winter swim
charity event involving cold water swimming
snorkeling
swim underwater using a snorkel and mask
acr: Amateur Swimming Association
group for people who swim for fun
Examples of swim in a sentence
They swim every morning as part of their exercise routine. She trained hard to swim in the relay race. He was excited to swim against top competitors. She hopes to swim across the lake tomorrow. Only two athletes have swum the river this year. The leaves seemed to swim across the pond's surface.
The paper airplane appeared to swim through the air effortlessly. The vegetables were swimming in broth. His desk was swimming in spilled coffee. His vision started to swim after the hit. The letters on the page began to swim. Farmers swim the seeds to ensure purity. The process requires them to swim the mixture thoroughly. A morning swim is refreshing and energizing. He enjoys a swim at the community pool every weekend. Staying in the swim helps her career. He enjoys the swim of political debates. The angler set up his gear at the swim. This swim is known for its abundance of trout. The band played the swim at the retro event. Everyone joined in the swim during the dance-off. SWIM didn't remember to bring the keys. SWIM might have left the lights on.
View all translations of swim
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:nager, nage, ...
- German:schwimmen, Schwimmen, ...
- Italian:nuotare, nuotata, ...
- Spanish:nadar, chapuzón, ...
- Portuguese:nadar, natação, ...
- Chinese:游泳, 参与, ...
- Japanese:泳ぐ, 泳ぎ, ...
- Arabic:سَبَحَ, سِباحة, ...
- Hebrew:לִשְׂחוֹת, שְׂחִיָּה, ...
- Russian:плавать, плавание, ...
- Ukrainian:плавати, плавання, ...
- Hindi:तैरना, तैराकी, ...
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