swing state

American  

[swing steyt] / ˈswɪŋ ˌsteɪt /

noun

U.S. Politics.

1. a state of the U.S. in which the Democratic and Republican candidates both have a good chance of winning and that is considered key to the outcome of a presidential election.

   the swing states of Ohio and Indiana.

---

Etymology

Origin of swing state

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

"They know Rome wasn't built in a day," Vance said in the key, blue-collar swing state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025

Pennsylvania’s status as the preeminent swing state is also why election watchers around the country had been eagerly anticipating Tuesday’s result—looking to it as a bellwether for bigger contests to follow.

From Slate • Nov. 4, 2025

The rally was intended as a show of force — bringing celebrity firepower to the biggest city in the most important swing state that was also the birthplace of American democracy.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2024

“The best avatar for a voter writ large is a woman in a swing state who didn’t go to college,” says pollster Evan Roth Smith, from Blueprint, a Democratic public opinion research company.

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2024

The news network found that the candidates were tied in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania, with both candidates garnering 48% of likely voters.

From Salon • Oct. 30, 2024