swim

UK: /ˈswɪm/ US: /swɪm/ ,(swim)

Inflections of 'swim' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

swims

v 3rd person singular

swimming

v pres p

swam

v past

swum

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

swim /swɪm/   v., swam, swum, swim•ming, n. 
v. 

1. Animal Behavior, Sport [no object] to move in water by using the limbs, fins, tail, etc.
2. Sport [~ + object] to move along in or cross (a body of water) this way.
3. to be filled or flooded with a liquid:
   [~ + with + object] eyes swimming with tears.
4. to be dizzy or giddy;
   seem to whirl:
   [no object] My head began to swim.

n. [countable]

5. Sport an act, instance, or period of swimming.

Idioms

6. Idioms in the swim, alert to current affairs, social activities, etc.

swim•mer, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

swim (swim),  v., swam, swum, swim•ming, n. 

v.i. 

1. Animal Behavior to move in water by movements of the limbs, fins, tail, etc.
2. to float on the surface of water or some other liquid.
3. to move, rest, or be suspended in air as if swimming in water.
4. Animal Behavior to move, glide, or go smoothly over a surface.
5. to be immersed or steeped in or overflowing or flooded with a liquid:
   eyes swimming with tears.
6. to be dizzy or giddy;
   seem to whirl:
   My head began to swim.

v.t. 

7. to move along in or cross (a body of water) by swimming:
   to swim a lake.
8. to perform (a particular stroke) in swimming:
   to swim a sidestroke.
9. to cause to swim or float, as on a stream.
10. to furnish with sufficient water to swim or float.

n. 

11. an act, instance, or period of swimming.
12. a motion as of swimming;
    a smooth, gliding movement.
13. in the swim, alert to or actively engaged in events;
    in the thick of things:
    Despite her age, she is still in the swim.

• bef. 900; Middle English swimmen, Old English swimman; cognate with Dutch zwemmen, German schwimmen, Old Norse svimma

swim′ma•ble, adj. 
swim′mer, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

swim / swɪm/ verb (swims, swimming, swam, swum)

1. (intransitive) to move along in water, etc, by means of movements of the body or parts of the body, esp the arms and legs, or (in the case of fish) tail and fins
2. (transitive) to cover (a distance or stretch of water) in this way
3. (transitive) to compete in (a race) in this way
4. (intransitive) to be supported by and on a liquid; float
5. (transitive) to use (a particular stroke) in swimming
6. (intransitive) to move smoothly, usually through air or over a surface
7. (intransitive) to reel or seem to reel: my head swam, the room swam around me
8. (intr; often followed by in or with) to be covered or flooded with water or other liquid
9. (intransitive) often followed by in: to be liberally supplied (with): he's swimming in money
10. (transitive) to cause to float or swim
11. swim against the tide, stream ⇒ to resist prevailing opinion
12. swim with the tide, stream ⇒ to conform to prevailing opinion

noun

1. the act, an instance, or period of swimming
2. any graceful gliding motion
3. a condition of dizziness; swoon
4. a pool in a river good for fishing
5. in the swim ⇒ fashionable or active in social or political activities

Etymology: Old English swimman; related to Old Norse svima, German schwimmen, Gothic swumsl pond, Norwegian svamla to paddle

ˈswimmable adjective

ˈswimmer noun

ˈswimming noun , adjective