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.

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Etymology

Origin of swing state

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

swing state

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

For many, Tuesday night was their first time meeting Ms Slotkin, who won the US Senate seat in the swing state of Michigan last year.

From BBC ● Mar. 5, 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

I caught up with a Puerto Rican voter who lives in another swing state: North Carolina, where about 115,000 people of Puerto Rican descent reside.

From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2024