How do you use the word "swan" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "swan": Ms. Swan is our English teacher. An ugly duckling became a graceful swan.

Swan Meaning

/swɒn/

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

nounAny of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage.

nounOne whose grace etc. suggests a swan.

Sentence Examples

Ms. Swan is our English teacher.

An ugly duckling became a graceful swan.

The swan flapped its wings noisily.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

roll cast roam

Antonyms:

None

CEFR Practice Quiz

The elegant white ____ with a long curved neck glided silently across the lake.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

A beautiful white ____ was gliding gracefully across the surface of the calm and peaceful lake today.

Word Origin & History

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *swónh₂-osder. Proto-Germanic *swanaz Proto-West Germanic *swan Old English swan Middle English swan English swan From Middle English swan, from Old English swan, from Proto-West Germanic *swan, from Proto-Germanic *swanaz (“swan”, literally “the singing bird”), from Proto-Indo-European *swonh₂-/*swenh₂- (“to sing, make sound”). Cognate with West Frisian swan, Low German Swaan, swan, Dutch zwaan, German Schwan, Danish svane, Norwegian svane, Swedish svan. Related also to Old English ġeswin (“melody, song”), Old English swinsian (“to make melody”). Further cognates include (possibly) Russian звон (zvon, “ring, chime”); Latin sonus (“sound”), Sanskrit स्वन् (svan, “sound”). Doublet of sound.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"He swans around that stinking office in his expensive clothes that are a little too tight for comfort, he swans around that stinking office without a care in the world." — 2010, Lee Rourke, The Canal, Melville House Publishing, →ISBN, unnumbered page:

"One of the few strokes of good luck Emma had had in recent days was the news that Tatiana Flint-Hamilton, her only real rival for top billing as 'most photographable girl' at today's event had decided to swan off to Sardinia instead, leaving the limelight entirely to Emma." — 2013, Tilly Bagshawe, One Summer’s Afternoon, HarperCollins, →ISBN:

"On the other side: the rich, beautiful tapestry of WASP culture that constituted Levis's life—friends playing horseshoes at backyard cocktail parties, where girls swanned in chaise longues, clinking their gin and tonics." — 2022, Ling Ma, “G”, in Bliss Montage, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN:

"He developed the Capitalcard, which combined Tube and train travel - a return fare from a NSE station would include free Tube travel for the day after 0930, with the slogan 'Swanning around London' on posters featuring the bird." — 2026 April 1, Christian Wolmar, “Managers must be given freedom to make decisions”, in RAIL, number 1058, page 35:

""Well, I swan, man, I had a better opinion of you than that."" — 1907 December, J. D. Archer, “Foiling an eavesdropper”, in Telephony, volume 14, page 345:

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