swivel
Americannoun
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swivels
plural
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a fastening device that allows the thing fastened to turn around freely upon it, especially to turn in a full circle.
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such a device consisting of two parts, each of which turns around independently, as a compound link of a chain, one part of which turns freely in the other by means of a headed pin or the like.
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a pivoted support allowing a gun to turn around in a horizontal plane.
-
a swivel gun.
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a device attached to a loom and used as a shuttle to weave extra threads in the production of small figures, especially dots.
verb (used with object)
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swivels,
present (3rd person singular)
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swiveled,
past participle, past
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swivelled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
swiveling,
present participle
-
swivelling
present participle (especially British)
-
to turn or pivot on or as if on a swivel.
He swiveled his chair around.
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to fasten by a swivel; furnish with a swivel.
verb (used without object)
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swivels,
present (3rd person singular)
-
swiveled,
past participle, past
-
swivelled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
swiveling,
present participle
-
swivelling
present participle (especially British)
noun
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a coupling device which allows an attached object to turn freely
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such a device made of two parts which turn independently, such as a compound link of a chain
-
-
a pivot on which is mounted a gun that may be swung from side to side in a horizontal plane
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Also called: swivel gun. the gun itself
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verb
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to turn or swing on or as if on a pivot
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(tr) to provide with, secure by, or support with a swivel
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
swivelsimple
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swivelssimple
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have swiveledperfect
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have swivelledperfect
-
has swiveledperfect
-
has swivelledperfect
-
am swivelingprogressive
-
am swivellingprogressive
-
are swivelingprogressive
-
are swivellingprogressive
-
is swivelingprogressive
-
is swivellingprogressive
-
have been swivelingperfect progressive
-
have been swivellingperfect progressive
-
has been swivelingperfect progressive
-
has been swivellingperfect progressive
Past
-
swiveledsimple
-
swivelledsimple
-
had swiveledperfect
-
had swivelledperfect
-
was swivelingprogressive
-
was swivellingprogressive
-
were swivelingprogressive
-
were swivellingprogressive
-
had been swivelingperfect progressive
-
had been swivellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of swivel
1275–1325; Middle English (noun), equivalent to swiv- (weak stem of Old English swīfan to revolve; cognate with Old Norse svīfa to turn) + -el instrumental suffix
Explanation
A swivel is a device that allows something to turn freely. Desk chairs are often designed so the seat can swivel atop the base. In the hospital, the TV is usually mounted on a swivel so that patients can adjust it. Swivel comes from a middle English word, swive, meaning to sweep. It’s often used to describe gun mountings, like on a tank or a boat where a gun is fastened down but can still be swung around in any direction. But people can also swivel. If you were in the middle of robbing a bank and you heard a noise behind you, you’d probably swivel around quickly to see what it was.
Vocabulary lists containing swivel
Prisoner B-3087
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When You Reach Me
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The BFG
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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.
See Examples For:
To blithely swivel so much concrete out into space, and in earthquake country, seems to tempt fate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Maddox Batson sits in a swivel chair in a West Hollywood recording studio on a recent evening, spinning idly as his mother and manager go over their plans for the next few days.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026
Behind her, an elegantly decorated living room can be seen, with a large L-shaped gray couch set up against one wall opposite two cozy-looking white swivel chairs.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 15, 2026
Similarly, the accompanying swivel chairs from HD Buttercup and the barstool seats in the kitchen are upholstered in Bengal and Husky-durable textiles that camouflage their rescues pet hair.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
I don’t even realize I’ve said it aloud until the girls ahead of me swivel their heads in my direction.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
The Tiangong Omni swivels its torso wildly from side to side while waving its bent arms in front of its face.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
As the hulking antenna swivels into action, screens inside the control room light up with the names of objects the radar system detects: stars, satellites and abandoned rocket bodies.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
There’s a light, power outlets including a USB-C port, a small mirror and a TV that swivels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
Next to him, 67-year-old teacher and musician Alan Akaka swivels his desk chair from his computer screen to face Cortez with a pop quiz: “Have you been practicing with the music?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2024
Halfway through this speech, the blogger turns on his camera and swivels it toward Mr. Brademas.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
My pod was roomy, with solid seat padding and a large TV screen that swiveled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
Toney sent the ball out wide to Mads Roerslev who picked out Neal Maupay in the area, and the forward swiveled before volleying a left-footed strike inside the far post.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2024
Suddenly, the head of a gigantic doll swiveled around and she froze, but it was too late.
From New York Times ● Nov. 22, 2023
Necks craned and eyes swiveled as a black SUV with tinted windows inched into traffic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
She swiveled to look at Tiller, whose face and poncho were soaked.
From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech
The best chance of the half fell to McFadden just over the half-hour mark when she swivelled and fired a half-cleared corner inches wide of the post.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2023
Shamsi pinched a single and Maharaj swivelled the next ball for four, beating his chest in celebration.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2023
However, the forward made no mistake when he swivelled in the area and his low effort found the bottom corner.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2023
Pedro played a one-two with Danilo Cataldi, gathered with his back to goal and swivelled to curl a magnificent shot into the top left corner.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 6, 2023
Slowly, he swivelled his huge right ear until it was like a great shell facing the heavens.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
Americans are swiveling their heads between Iran and Venezuela and wondering what the turmoil in these countries means for the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026
Across from her waterbed, she has a research library, complete with a swiveling ladder, full of fashion books.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2025
I looked like an owl, my head swiveling on my neck, trying to take it all in.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2024
What isn’t allowed is big-ticket items - “appliances, for example,” he said, swiveling to point at the refrigerators behind him.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 28, 2023
Beejee pushed his way into the apartment, his head swiveling this way and that, as if he was looking for a stowaway.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
For the second she controlled a cross at waist height before swivelling and netting with a half-volley,
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2025
Erling Haaland had been fouled moments before regaining his footing, swivelling and sending Grealish through.
From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2023
After some slow carousel passing involving Nathan Aké and Eric García, suddenly De Bruyne tapped a pass to Mahrez and his release had Sterling swivelling and shooting straight at Schmeichel.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 27, 2020
A figure in head-to-toe metallic coverings braced one limb against the door frame, swivelling its helmeted head back and forth at us.
From Nature ● Jan. 28, 2020
The golden ship that had led him here was swivelling in the wind.
From "The Marvels" by Brian Selznick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
