swoop

American  

[swoop] / swup /

verb (used without object)

1. to sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, especially down upon prey.

2. to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack (often followed by down and on orupon ).

   The army swooped down on the town.

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verb (used with object)

1. to take, lift, scoop up, or remove with or as with one sweeping motion (often followed by up, away, oroff ).

   He swooped her up in his arms.

noun

1. an act or instance of swooping; a sudden, swift descent.

   Synonyms:

   drop, sweep, plunge, dive

idioms

1. at / in one fell swoop, all at once or all together, as if by one blow.

   The quake flattened the houses at one fell swoop.

swoop British  

/ swuːp /

verb

1. (intr; usually foll by down, on, or upon) to sweep or pounce suddenly

2. (tr; often foll by up, away, or off) to seize or scoop suddenly

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noun

1. the act of swooping

2. a swift descent

swoop More Idioms  

1. see one fell swoop.

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Etymology

Origin of swoop

1535–45; variant (with close ō ) of Middle English swopen, Old English swāpan to sweep ¹; cognate with German schweifen

Explanation

To swoop is to move downward quickly and dramatically, like an eagle that swoops down to catch its prey. A swoop is an impressive movement best demonstrated by a bird. If a bird is high in the air, then moves down quickly, making an arc or loop, that's an example of a swoop. People can also swoop — three muggers might swoop in on a victim, for example. The phrase "one fell swoop" means "all at once," and Shakespeare used it first, in "Macbeth:" "What, All my pretty Chickens, and their Dam, At one fell swoop?"

Example Sentences

Last week police detained 16 people after a swoop at three schools in the 7th arrondissement or district.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

And proponents argue that it pays to monitor your biometrics, often in real time, so your physician or medical team can swoop in at signs of trouble.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Breeze was in position to quickly swoop into Atlantic City.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

A team of Navy divers will then help the astronauts out of the capsule, and Navy helicopters will swoop in to recover them.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Harry felt a hot, sick swoop of anger in his stomach.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling

Related Words

• dive
• plummet
• pounce