swept
Americanverb
adjective
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of swept
First recorded in 1550–60, for the adjective
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Waves approaching two meters then swept over the beaches.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026
Suspects were swept up in Afghanistan or Pakistan, often on the flimsiest of tip-offs.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Part of a workers’ camp was swept away and an early-warning system failed, prompting officials to fix it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Rescue work continued in Nepal for a 14th day after the devastating glacial and mountain collapse near the China-Nepal border swept away roads, bridges and homes.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
She’s barely stepped in the door when she registers how different my room looks than it normally does: the swept floors and made bed, and the morning light now streaming in through the window.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
