one fell swoop

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiom

   A single sudden action that achieves several things at the same time.

   Grammar: Almost always used as at one fell swoop or in one fell swoop.

   Patterns

   • in one fell swoop
   • at one fell swoop

   The new law abolished three old taxes in one fell swoop.

   She cleaned the whole kitchen in one fell swoop.

   The company fired half its staff at one fell swoop.

2. 2phraseidiomhumorous

   Used humorously to emphasize how much was done in one go.

   Grammar: Often pairs with big, sweeping results.

   Patterns

   • all in one fell swoop

   He packed, paid the bill and left, all in one fell swoop.

   The storm knocked out power, phones and the road in one fell swoop.

   They solved every problem in one fell swoop.

Common combinations

in one fell swoop

The bank wiped out the debt in one fell swoop.

at one fell swoop

At one fell swoop the committee approved all four plans.

all in one fell swoop

They painted and decorated the room all in one fell swoop.

wiped out in one fell swoop

A drought wiped out the harvest in one fell swoop.

achieve in one fell swoop

You can't achieve so much in one fell swoop.

Synonyms and how they differ

at once

At once is plain and common, while in one fell swoop adds drama and suggests a bold stroke.

in one go

In one go is casual and neutral, with no feeling of force.

all together

All together stresses things being joined, while one fell swoop stresses a single quick action.

Opposites

Word family

swoop verb

to dive down quickly, like a bird of prey

swoop noun

a sudden downward rush

fell adjective

literary word meaning fierce or deadly

swooping adjective

describes a fast, sweeping movement

Commonly confused: one fell swoop or one foul swoop?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “one fell swoop”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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