Showing results for "swimming"

• present participle of swim.

swimming

American  

[swim-ing] / ˈswɪm ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that swims.

2. the skill or technique of a person who swims.

3. the sport of swimming.

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adjective

1. pertaining to, characterized by, or capable of swimming.

2. used in or for swimming.

   swimming trunks.

3. immersed in or overflowing with water or some other liquid.

4. dizzy or giddy.

   a swimming head.

Other Word Forms

• swimmingness
  noun
• nonswimming
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of swimming

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English swimmende (adjective). See swim, -ing ², -ing ¹

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Explanation

Swimming is an activity that involves moving through the water using your arms and legs. One of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer day is swimming in a cold lake or pool. Swimming is both a casual activity and a serious sport. To you, swimming may involve splashing through the waves or dog-paddling across a public pool. Olympic athletes, on the other hand, swim distances as far as 1500 meters at unbelievable speeds. As an adjective, swimming describes anything that swims or that's used for swimming, like a swimming hole. You can also poetically describe a crying person's eyes as "swimming with tears."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

swimming

There are about 80 events taking place across the park, from moonlit swimming and astronomy sessions, to bioluminescence walks and planetarium shows.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

They enjoyed various activities and swimming, before getting ready for dinner in the evening.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

The grounds feature a swimming pool and cold plunge, as well as a fire pit, an outdoor fireplace, and a koi pond.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

As a result, the U.S. is swimming in copper, while the rest of the world is in a deficit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

“Six letters. Picture it. You and Bertha enjoy a picnic in the forest. You’re swimming in a blue-green lake.”

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

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