swoop
/ˈswuːp/verb, noun
swoop is spelled S-W-O-O-P: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 1.6 times per million words in written English, the 22,362nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, swoop means “To fly or glide downwards suddenly; to plunge (in the air) or nosedive” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in swoop?
| Letters | 5: S-W-O-O-P |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.6 times per million words; the 22,362nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is swoop?
Swoop appears 1.6 times per million words in written English, the 22,362nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce swoop?
- /ˈswuːp/
- /ˈsuːp/
Swoop has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-swoop.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of swoop
- swoops present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- swooping participle, present
- swooped participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does swoop mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To fly or glide downwards suddenly; to plunge (in the air) or nosedive.
The lone eagle swooped down into the lake, snatching its prey, a small fish.
- 2
To move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement, especially to attack something.
The dog had enthusiastically swooped down on the bone.
- 3
To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing.
And his Eagles, which can with the same ease as a kite swoops a chicken, snatch up a strong built Chamber of wood 12 foot square, & well crampt & fortified with Iron, with all its furniture, & a man besides, & carry it to the Clouds?
- 4
To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep.
- 5
To pass with pomp; to sweep.
- 6
UKslangTo search the ground for discarded cigarette butts that can be made into new cigarettes.
noun
- 1
An instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downward.
The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim. – Sun Tzu
- 2
A sudden act of seizing.
- 3
A quick passage from one note to the next.
- 4
A group of swallows or other birds.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Swoop in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | herabschießen, herabstürzen , stürzen , Sturzflug |
| Spanish | precipitarse, abalanzarse, lanzarse / volar en picada , precipitación, picado, picada |
| French | précipitation |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does swoop come from?
Inherited from Middle English swopen (“to sweep”), from Old English swāpan. Doublet of swaip. See also sweep, which was probably the basis for analogical restoration of /w/ in this word.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).