swoop

UK: /ˈswuːp/ US: /swup/ ,(swo̅o̅p)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

swoop /swup/   v. 

1. [no object] to sweep down through the air, as a bird does upon its prey.
2. to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack:
   [~ (+ down ) + on/upon + object] The army swooped (down) on the town.
3. to take, lift, scoop up, or remove with or as if with one sweeping motion: [~ + object + up]
   He swooped her up in his arms.
   [~ + up + object]
   He swooped up the child in his arms.

n. [countable]

4. an act or instance of swooping.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

swoop (swo̅o̅p),  v.i. 

1. to sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, esp. down upon prey.
2. to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack (often fol. by down and on or upon):
   The army swooped down on the town.

v.t. 

3. to take, lift, scoop up, or remove with or as with one sweeping motion (often fol. by up, away, or off):
   He swooped her up in his arms.

n. 

4. an act or instance of swooping;
   a sudden, swift descent.
5. at or in one fell swoop, all at once or all together, as if by one blow:
   The quake flattened the houses at one fell swoop.

• 1535–45; variant (with close ō) of Middle English swopen, Old English swāpan to sweep¹; cognate with German schweifen

Synonyms

• 4. dive, plunge, sweep, drop.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

swoop / swuːp/ verb

1. (intr; usually followed by down, on, or upon) to sweep or pounce suddenly
2. (tr; often followed by up, away, or off) to seize or scoop suddenly

noun

1. the act of swooping
2. a swift descent

Etymology: Old English swāpan to sweep; related to Old High German sweifan to swing around, Old Norse sveipa to throw