sweep

/swiːp/

//swiːp// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sweep" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sweep” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,507 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#7,507
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

sweep vs sweet
80% similar
sweep vs swept
60% similar
sweep vs swell
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for sweep
PropertyValue
Headwordsweep
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/swiːp/
Letters5
Frequency rank#7,507
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sweep” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). sweep lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sweep is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /swiːp/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,507 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 18 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for sweep, with forms such as "sewep", "ssweep", and "sweepp". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "sweet", "swept", "swell", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English swepen, from Proto-West Germanic *swaipijan (unattested in Old English), from Proto-Germanic *swaipijaną. Cognate with Early Modern West Frisian swiepe (“whip, cleanse, sweep”), from Old Frisian swēpa, suepa (“sweep”). More distantly rel… The correct English form is sweep, spelled S-W-E-E-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.
  2. 2
    To move through a (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke.
  3. 3
    To search (a place) methodically.
  4. 4
    To travel quickly.
  5. 5
    To play a sweep shot.
  6. 6
    To brush the ice in front of a moving stone, causing it to travel farther and to curl less.
  7. 7
    To move something in a long sweeping motion, as a broom.
  8. 8
    To win (a series) without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.
  9. 9
    To defeat (a team) in a series without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.
  10. 10
    To clear (a body of water or part thereof) of mines.
  11. 11
    To remove something abruptly and thoroughly.
  12. 12
    To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.
  13. 13
    To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.
  14. 14
    To strike with a long stroke.
  15. 15
    To row with one oar to either the port or starboard side.
  16. 16
    To draw or drag something over.
  17. 17
    To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation.
  18. 18
    To vacuum a carpet or rug.

Etymology

From Middle English swepen, from Proto-West Germanic *swaipijan (unattested in Old English), from Proto-Germanic *swaipijaną. Cognate with Early Modern West Frisian swiepe (“whip, cleanse, sweep”), from Old Frisian swēpa, suepa (“sweep”). More distantly related to Old Norse sveipa (whence Swedish svepa). See also swoop.

This word in other languages

barrer(Español)balayer(Français)fegen(Deutsch)varrer(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sewep,ssweep,sweepp,swep,swepe,swweep,wseep

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of sweep - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

sewep2ssweep1sweepp1swep1swepe2swweep1wseep2
Edit distance from "sweep"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sweep"?
"sweep" is spelled S-W-E-E-P. The IPA pronunciation is /swiːp/.
What does "sweep" mean?
As a verb, "sweep" means: To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.
What words are commonly confused with "sweep"?
"sweep" is commonly confused with "sweet", "swept", "swell". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sweep"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sweep" is /swiːp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sweep"?
From Middle English swepen, from Proto-West Germanic *swaipijan (unattested in Old English), from Proto-Germanic *swaipijaną. Cognate with Early Modern West Frisian swiepe (“whip, cleanse, sweep”), from Old Frisian swēpa, suepa (“sweep”). More dis... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “sweep”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-W-E-E-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /swiːp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “sweet” - see the side-by-side comparison. sweep vs sweet
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list