swing
gb/swˈɪŋ/ us/swˈɪŋ/
A1
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
move back and forth in air
To move back and forth while hanging from something or attached at one point.
Usage pattern:
to swing [something] back and forth
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'swing' with 'spin', but 'spin' means turning around in circles, not moving back and forth.
Synonyms
sway (Often slower or gentler movement, typically side to side.)
Antonyms
remain still (Describes not moving at all.)
Collocations
swing gently
|swing wildly
|swing open
|swing a bat
|swing the door
Themes
daily life
|sports
|nature
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The children swung happily on the playground swings.
- He swung the door open to let in some air.
- The monkey swung from branch to branch in the jungle.
- She swung her legs over the side of the bed.
- The gate swung shut with a loud creak.
Learner examples
- I like to swing on the playground.
- The door swings when the wind blows.
- The monkey swings in the tree.
- He swings his arms when he walks.
Noun
A1
entity
2
seat for swinging
A seat that hangs from ropes or chains and moves back and forth.
Synonyms
playground seat (A more descriptive but less common term.)
Collocations
sit on a swing
|push a swing
|play on the swing
|swing set
Themes
daily life
|sports
|childhood
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The park has several swings for children.
- She sat on the swing and watched the sunset.
- He gave his little sister a push on the swing.
Learner examples
- The swing is in the park.
- I sit on the swing.
- She pushes me on the swing.
Verb
B1
action
3
move to hit something
To move something like your arm or a bat through the air to try to hit something.
Usage pattern:
to swing [something] at [something/someone]
Synonyms
strike (Focuses more on making contact than the motion itself.)
Collocations
swing a bat
|swing a hammer
|swing a punch
Themes
sports
|violence
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He swung the bat and hit the ball out of the park.
- She swung her bag at the thief.
- The boxer swung at his opponent but missed.
Learner examples
- He swings the bat.
- She swings her arm at me.
- The man swings a hammer.
Verb
B1
action
4
change direction suddenly
To move or turn quickly in another direction.
Usage pattern:
to swing [something] toward [something]
Synonyms
turn sharply (Describes a sudden change of direction; often interchangeable.)
Collocations
swing around
|swing toward
|swing left
Themes
movement
|navigation
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She swung the car into the driveway.
- He swung around to face me.
- The camera swung toward the stage.
Learner examples
- The car swings left.
- He swings around quickly.
- The camera swings to me.
Verb
B2
action
5
change quickly between states
To change quickly from one feeling, condition, or amount to another.
Usage pattern:
to swing from [state] to [state]
Synonyms
fluctuate (More formal and often used for numbers or conditions rather than feelings.)
Antonyms
remain stable (Describes not changing at all.)
Collocations
mood swings
|swing between extremes
Themes
emotions
|economics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Public opinion has swung in his favor.
- Her mood swings from happy to sad very quickly.
- Stock prices swung wildly during the day.
Learner examples
- Her mood swings a lot.
- Prices swing up and down.
- The team's luck swings fast.
Grammar
Dictionary form
swing
IPA
GB/swˈɪŋ/
US/swˈɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
swing (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (swing)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: swing
- Plural: swing, swings
Verb
- Base: swing
- 3rd Person Singular: swings
- Present Participle: swinging
- Past: swung
- Past Participle: swung
Word family
Forms
swings
noun
swinging
verb
swung
verb
Related words
swinger
noun
Advanced or less common
upswing
noun
downswing
noun
Highlights
- Irregular past: swung Verb
- Irregular past participle: swung Verb
Expressions
get into the swing of things
1/ɡˈɛt ˈɪntu ðə swˈɪŋ əv θˈɪŋz/
idiom
informal
become comfortable with activity
To start feeling comfortable and confident doing something new.
Examples
- It took me a week to get into the swing of things at my new job.
- Once you get into the swing of things, it will be easier.
swing by
1/swˈɪŋ bˈaɪ/
phrasal verb
informal
visit briefly en route
To go to a place for a short time, usually while going somewhere else.
Examples
- I’ll swing by your office after lunch.
- She swung by the store on her way home.
in full swing
1/ˈɪn fˈʊl swˈɪŋ/
idiom
At the highest point of activity or progress
Happening with a lot of activity and energy, at its busiest time.
Examples
- By midnight, the party was in full swing.
- The summer sales are now in full swing.
- Construction is now in full swing at the site.
mood swing
1/mˈud swˈɪŋ/
fixed phrase
sudden change in emotion
A quick change from one feeling to another.
Examples
- Teenagers often experience mood swings.
- Teenagers often have mood swings.
- His mood swings make him hard to work with.
- Her mood swings make her difficult to work with.