Meaning & use
swingers
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“swingers” is a form of “swinger”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralinformal
Couples or people who, by agreement, have sexual relationships with others outside their own partnership.
Grammar: Plural form; the singular is swinger: swingers meet at private parties.
Patterns
- a club for swingers
The film follows a suburban couple who discover their neighbors are swingers.
Some magazines used to print contact ads for swingers.
Swingers usually set clear rules together before attending any event.
nounpluralold-fashioned
Lively, fashionable people, especially young ones in the 1960s, who enjoyed an exciting social life.
Grammar: Dated sense, mostly used when describing the 1960s.
Patterns
- swingers of the sixties
London in the sixties was full of swingers in bright clothes.
The old photos show the swingers dancing in a crowded club.
My aunt was one of the swingers of that decade.
nounpluralsport
People or things that swing, such as batters in baseball or golfers who swing a club.
Grammar: Plural of swinger in a literal sense: playground swingers, baseball swingers.
Patterns
- a good swinger of a club
The team signed two power swingers who can hit the ball over the fence.
The golfers were natural swingers with smooth tempo.
Small swingers filled the playground, pumping their legs.
Common combinations
- swingers club
- The documentary visited a swingers club in the city.
- swingers party
- The couple was invited to a swingers party but declined.
- 1960s swingers
- The film shows 1960s swingers in fashionable boutiques.
- married swingers
- The survey asked married swingers about trust.
- swinging London
- Swinging London drew swingers from all over the world.
Synonyms and how they differ
- free spirits
- Free spirits describes independent, unconventional people in general with no sexual meaning.
- hipsters
- Hipsters refers to trend-conscious young people and does not relate to relationships.
- partygoers
- Partygoers are simply people who attend parties and lack the specific meanings of swingers.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: swingers or singers?
swingers vs singers
Singers perform songs, while swingers is a different word with an unrelated meaning, so the two are not interchangeable despite looking alike.
Practice
A 1960s style magazine describing fashionable, lively young people about town might call them ______.
Choose one answer.
In the dated 1960s sense, swingers were lively, fashionable people. Recluses, hermits and outcasts all describe people who avoid society.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “swingers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.