swing state

[swing steyt]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of swing state¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

“I just couldn’t understand why he would call me, right now, and make it all about himself. Distracting me with worry about hostile powerbrokers in the biggest city of the most important swing state.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The fact that he voted against this deal, while he clearly gave it his blessing in private, is a perfect illustration of why people no longer trust the Democratic Party,” Wahls said, “and as long as he stays in a leadership role, it is going to be impossible for anybody — whether it’s in Iowa or any other swing state — to win a majority.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.

Read more on Slate

The previous year, the court — then majority Democrat — had outlawed partisan gerrymandering in the swing state.

Read more on Salon

There’s a strong political incentive to vote in Pennsylvania: It’s an all-important swing state, where voters wield tremendously outsize influence over the future of American politics.

Read more on Slate