swing state

noun

plural swing states
US politics : a U.S. state in which Republican and Democratic candidates have similar levels of support and which is considered to play a key role in the outcome of presidential elections
The politics of immigration in Florida, a key swing state, are not as clear as they are in California.Tom Masland et al.
If he is so polarizing, how was he elected five times in a swing state?Nancy Gibbs et al.

Examples of swing state in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Three-quarters of Gilbert residents are white, and, even as Arizona has become a swing state, the city remains solidly conservative—Donald Trump won the area by fifteen points in 2020, and most of the East Valley is represented by Andy Biggs, a former chair of the House Freedom Caucus. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024 But, as Zoellner writes, picking up even a few thousand votes in each county could help determine not only who controls the state Legislature, but who controls the White House in a swing state. Joanna Allhands, The Arizona Republic, 20 June 2024 Wisconsin, a swing state, is one of the most coveted for the 2024 election. Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 June 2024 Polls conducted after the verdict don't show a significant change in support for Trump, but small changes can make big differences in a swing state like Wisconsin. Rachel Hale, Journal Sentinel, 18 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for swing state 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swing state.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swing state was in 1952

Dictionary Entries Near swing state

Cite this Entry

“Swing state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swing%20state. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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