swept
B1Neutral to formal. The past form is common in narrative and descriptive registers.
Definition
Meaning
The simple past tense and past participle of the verb 'sweep': to clean or clear a surface by brushing away dirt or debris.
The form used to describe something carried along powerfully and swiftly, or affected pervasively (e.g., by emotions, trends, or natural forces).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily functions as a verb form. Can occasionally be used adjectivally in participial constructions (e.g., 'a swept floor', 'swept away').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in form or core meaning. Minor potential differences in idiomatic frequency or specific collocations (e.g., 'swept the board' slightly more common in UK usage in competitive contexts).
Connotations
Identical in both dialects.
Frequency
Comparatively high and equal frequency as the standard past form of 'sweep'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] swept [Object] (e.g., She swept the floor).[Subject] swept [Object] [Adjunct] (e.g., The flood swept the car away).[Subject] be/get swept [Adjective/Adverbial] (e.g., He was swept off his feet).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “swept off one's feet”
- “swept under the rug/carpet”
- “swept the board”
- “a clean sweep”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically for winning decisively (e.g., 'The new product swept the market').
Academic
Used to describe the pervasive spread of ideas, diseases, or social movements (e.g., 'Revolutionary ideas swept through Europe').
Everyday
Most common in domestic cleaning contexts (e.g., 'I swept the kitchen this morning').
Technical
In engineering/fluid dynamics, can describe the motion of air/water over a surface.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She swept the autumn leaves from the patio.
- A wave of nostalgia swept over him.
American English
- He swept the garage before parking the car.
- The new policy swept through the organization.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial use.
American English
- No standard adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- The swept path led to the cottage door.
- Her swept-up hair looked elegant.
American English
- The swept driveway looked tidy.
- He admired the swept-back design of the classic car.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I swept my room yesterday.
- The wind swept the paper off the table.
- She swept the competition and won all the prizes.
- He quickly swept the broken glass into a dustpan.
- A feeling of dread swept over the crowd as the news spread.
- The new government was swept into office on a promise of change.
- The investigative report swept aside years of corporate obfuscation.
- Her gaze swept the horizon, searching for any sign of land.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SWEPT floor being clean and neat, just like the word itself ends neatly with a 't' sound.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANGE IS MOTION; LOVE/SUCCESS IS A FORCE THAT MOVES YOU (e.g., 'swept off your feet', 'swept to victory').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'swipe' (свайп, резкий удар).
- Do not use for gentle, slow movement; 'swept' implies force or completeness.
- Not to be translated as 'подметал' for metaphorical uses; choose context-appropriate verbs like 'охватил', 'пронесся'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sweeped' as the past tense (incorrect).
- Confusing 'swept' (past action) with 'swept' as an adjective (requires context like 'well-swept').
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'He was completely swept away by the novel's plot,' what does 'swept away' most closely mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'sweeped' is a common learner error. The correct past and past participle form is always 'swept'.
Yes, but typically in compound or hyphenated forms before a noun (e.g., 'a well-swept floor', 'swept-back hair').
'Swept' usually involves using a broom or brush on dry surfaces to gather loose material. 'Wiped' involves using a cloth on a surface, often with moisture, to clean or dry it.
It metaphorically extends the cleaning action to mean hiding or ignoring a problem or misdeed to avoid dealing with it.