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

The beans come swimming in almost velvety sauces that are good enough that I’d aspire to make them myself.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

There are 21 bedrooms, 26.5 bathrooms, seven kitchens, offices, a library, and an indoor swimming pool.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026

Bushby's journey took him to four continents, with key moments including navigating through the dense jungles of the Darién Gap, crossing the frozen Bering Strait and, more recently, swimming the English Channel.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Supporters say the existing city allocation isn’t enough and has led to deteriorating recreation centers, swimming pools and restrooms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

Instead of succumbing to paralyzing fear, like any normal person would in a storm like this, she’d been able to figure out the pattern to Nicole’s swimming.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

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