swimming

swimming — adjective

1. able to move through water by using body parts such as fins, legs, or wings — us

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

able to move through water by using body parts such as fins, legs, or wings — used before a noun to describe animals, insects, or birds that swim.

Example

Ari watched the swimming duck glide across the pond with her ducklings.

swimming + noun (swimming duck) — attributive for animals

Swimming insects like water beetles use their legs to push across the surface.

swimming insects — describing a type of creature

Common collocations
  • swimming bird
  • swimming insect
  • swimming creature
  • swimming turtle
Synonyms
  • aquatic

    more scientific or formal register; used for plants and animals that live in water, not just swim (e.g. aquatic plants)

  • water-dwelling

    describes where an animal lives, not its movement; broader in meaning

Antonyms
  • non-swimming

    rarely used; more common to just say 'land animals' or 'flightless birds'

Grammar Patterns

swimming + noun (animal or creature)

Usage Note

Attributive only — this sense of 'swimming' appears before a noun naming an animal or creature. It is not used predicatively ('the duck is swimming' uses the verb, not the adjective).

Common Mistakes

The swimming duck is a duck that is swimming.
The swimming duck is a duck that swims.
The adjective describes a habitual ability, not necessarily an action at this moment.

2. designed or intended to be worn, used, or involved when a person moves through w

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

designed or intended to be worn, used, or involved when a person moves through water as a leisure activity or sport.

Example

Caleb forgot his swimming trunks and had to borrow a dry pair from the shop.

swimming trunks — clothing item for swimming

The hotel's swimming pool is heated during the winter for guests to enjoy.

swimming pool — common compound for the facility

Common collocations
  • swimming pool
  • swimming costume
  • swimming trunks
  • swimming cap
  • swimming goggles
  • swimming lessons
  • swimming coach
  • swimming class
Synonyms
  • bathing

    used in British English in compounds like 'bathing suit' or 'bathing cap'; slightly old-fashioned in everyday speech

Grammar Patterns

swimming + noun (equipment, location, clothing, lesson)

Usage Note

This adjective always appears before a noun — it is not used after a linking verb. Common nouns that follow include items of clothing (costume, trunks, cap), locations (pool, beach), and lessons or training (lessons, class, coach). In British English 'swimming costume' is common; in American English 'swimsuit' or 'bathing suit' is preferred.

Common Mistakes

I went to the swimming.
I went to the swimming pool.
The adjective 'swimming' must be followed by a noun; it cannot stand alone to mean the place.
She bought a swim costume.
She bought a swimming costume.
The full compound is 'swimming costume', not 'swim costume' (though 'swimsuit' is a single word).

swimming — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While swimming is the general term for moving through water using coordinated limb movements, the related words describe different water-based activities. A dip is a short, informal swim — often just a quick entry into the water for refreshment rather than exercise. Bathing (in British English) suggests leisurely time in the water, typically without serious effort or competition. Wading is moving through shallow water on foot, keeping part of the body above the surface — it does not require swimming skills. Diving involves entering the water head-first, usually from a board or a platform; it is a separate sport and skill from swimming itself. For example: 'We took a quick dip in the sea before lunch' (short and casual), versus 'She goes swimming every morning to train for the competition' (regular, purposeful activity).

dip ↗bathingwadingdiving ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • go swimming
  • take up swimming
  • swimming for exercise
  • open-water swimming

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'swimming' comes from the Old English verb 'swimman', meaning to move through water. This trace back to the Proto-Germanic root *swimman, which also gave rise to German 'schwimmen' and Dutch 'zwemmen'. The '-ing' suffix was added to form the verbal noun (the activity) and later the adjective (describing something used for swimming). By the early modern period, 'swimming' was established in English as both a sport and a descriptive term.