swing state

[ swing steyt ]

noun

, U.S. Politics.

1. a state of the U.S. in which the Democratic and Republican candidates both have a good chance of winning and that is considered key to the outcome of a presidential election:

   the swing states of Ohio and Indiana.

Word History and Origins

Origin of swing state¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

The two lawyers were also involved in lawsuits seeking to overturn election results in swing states, every one of which was either dropped or thrown out of court.

From Washington Post

Arizona does not appear to be close to becoming the next Virginia — a swing state that has consistently leaned blue recently after years of GOP dominance.

From Washington Post

Data shows that during the election, disinformation was highly targeted locally, with voters in swing states exposed to significantly more online messages about voter intimidation, fraud, ballot glitches, and unrest than voters in other states.

From MIT Technology Review

His margins of victory were in the thousands or tens of thousands in decisive swing states.

From Washington Post

For now, it’s not clear if Georgia is a swing state, a state that swung once or something in between.

From FiveThirtyEight

Truth is, no one is sure how Cuba will play in the critical swing state of Florida in 2016.

From The Daily Beast

In 2014, it appears, the key to winning in a swing state is to avoid talking about issues and emphasize pig castration.

From The Daily Beast

Ohio is a must-win swing state for Republicans if they are to reclaim the White House.

From The Daily Beast

After all, unlike Guinta, Innis would have been a fresh new face for the GOP in a very purple swing state.

From The Daily Beast

After all, he has been one of the most divisive governors in the country, and serves in a key swing state.

From The Daily Beast