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DictionaryswipeSweeping motion
verb / noun

swipe

SWYPE/swaɪp/

A rapid sliding sweep across something.

The man swipes his finger quickly across the phone screen.

A young adult South Asian man slides his index finger quickly across a smartphone screen, with a short drawn motion stroke making the sideways swipe clear.
Etymology
swipeEnglishheavy blow, driving stroke

The noun swipe meant a heavy blow, and the verb first meant giving a stroke with a sweeping motion. That sweeping motion connects it to moving a card across a reader; the noun’s deeper origin is uncertain.

In context

theunfilteredguy4:53
Dating apps promised connection. What they delivered is swipe fatigue, surface level interactions, a brutal imbalance in attention. Men are often playing a numbers game. They swipe right on dozens or hundreds of profiles
Why Men Over 40 Are Choosing Bachelor Life Forever

More examples

  • Swipe left to see the next photo.
  • He swipes his card through the reader.
  • A quick swipe of the cloth removes the dust.

Forms

swipe · swipes · swiped · swiping

Similar words

sweep
Suggests a broader movement that need not be quick.
brush
Emphasizes light contact rather than a rapid sliding motion.
slide
Emphasizes smooth movement along a surface, not necessarily speed.