swept

[swept]

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of sweep.

adjective

1. (of a sword guard) made up of curved bars.

swept

/ swɛpt /

verb

1. the past tense of sweep

Other Word Forms

• unswept adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of swept¹

First recorded in 1550–60, for the adjective

Example Sentences

An exceptionally rare tropical storm, named Cyclone Senyar, caused catastrophic landslides and flooding in Indonesia, with homes swept away and thousands of buildings submerged.

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President Ferdinand Marcos has seen friend and foe alike, including a congressman cousin, swept up by the spiraling scandal since he first put the issue centre stage in a July national address.

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“Stoppard’s characters are theater people, professional makers of scenes, and some of these scenes get swept into the play. … ‘

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An exceptionally rare tropical cyclone, named Cyclone Senyar, caused catastrophic landslides and flooding in Indonesia, with homes swept away and thousands of buildings submerged.

Read more on BBC

Thousands of Afghans scrambled to escape the country in 2021, many via Kabul, as the US withdrew its troops and the Taliban swept in.

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Related Words

• pass 
• sail 
• tear