swoop
verb (used without object)
to sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, especially down upon prey.
were swooping
-
past progressiveof swoop.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, were swooping in late to snatch away the hard-throwing right-hander, submitting a more lucrative three-year bid that would pay Díaz a relief-pitcher-record $23 million per season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025
The gulls were swooping and circling a little farther out, diving and falling toward the water, which we knew meant that there was a dead fish floating on the waves.
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 17, 2019
Paul wanted to find a cave he had heard about that might have housed Paleo-Indians, but all we saw were swooping eagles and an osprey standing watch in her nest.
From New York Times ● Oct. 21, 2016
Dewey extracts a rubber swatter from his desk drawer, waits, pounces as if he were swooping down mercilessly on another Waxey Gordon.
From Time Magazine Archive
Percy didn’t see anybody seriously injured, but the gryphons were swooping toward anything that moved.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
