Synonyms

swing by

American

noun

Aerospace. a trajectory that uses the gravitational field of one celestial body to alter the course of a spacecraft destined for another body.

swing by British

verb

informal (preposition) to go somewhere to pay a visit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of swing by

1960–65, noun use of verb phrase swing by

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.

Expect potentially extreme stock reactions: Granda predicts that major news items that would have driven 10% or 15% moves for Tesla’s stock will end up causing SpaceX shares to swing by 20% to 30%.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

To this day, a 1,000-point swing by the Dow is still shorthand for a big day in the market—at least among investing veterans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

Amy Poehler‘s return to the “Saturday Night Live” stage provided the perfect opportunity for several of her former castmates to swing by 30 Rock.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2025

Willson Contreras is out at least six weeks after a swing by the Mets’ J.D.

From Seattle Times • May 30, 2024

Petunia stopped her swing by dragging the heels of her sandals on the ground, making a crunching, grinding sound, then leapt up, hands on hips.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023