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

Her leadership of a pivotal swing state made her a talked-about potential Democratic presidential nominee.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

"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 Ukrainian leader visited a munitions factory in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania last September and met Trump's rival, Kamala Harris, at the White House.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2025

Some other polling has suggested a similar shift in places such as Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio, he said, but the trend has not necessarily been showing up in swing state polling.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2024