Slide vs. Swipe — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 20, 2024
Slide involves gradual, controlled movement across a surface, typically in one direction; swipe is a quick, brisk motion, often used on touchscreens.
Difference Between Slide and Swipe
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Slide refers to the motion of moving smoothly along a surface, maintaining continuous contact, while swipe often implies a rapid, brushing movement, frequently with a specific goal such as dismissing an alert on a digital device.
Slide can be used in various contexts, from playground equipment to sliding a door, emphasizing a steady, deliberate action. Swipe, on the other hand, is commonly associated with digital gestures, like swiping on a smartphone or tablet screen to navigate through content.
Slide movements are often horizontal or vertical and can be literal or figurative, such as sliding into a conversation. Swipe is typically horizontal and is predominantly used in the context of digital interfaces or quick, sweeping actions.
Slide often suggests a controlled, friction-based interaction, such as sliding a glass across a table. Swipe suggests a more forceful and swift action, like swiping a credit card through a reader.
Comparison Chart
Definition
To move smoothly along a continuous surface
To brush quickly and lightly over a surface
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Common Usages
Sliding doors, playground slides
Swiping on screens, swiping cards
Motion
Gradual, controlled
Quick, brisk
Contexts
Physical objects, discussions (figurative)
Digital devices, physical gestures
Associated Adjectives
Smooth, steady, deliberate
Fast, fleeting, digital
Compare with Definitions
Slide
To move smoothly along a surface.
He slid the book across the table to his friend.
Swipe
To pass a card through a reader.
She swiped her credit card to complete the transaction.
Slide
A structure designed for smooth movement from a higher to a lower point.
The children played on the slide at the park.
Swipe
To hit or try to hit something with a sweeping motion.
The cat swiped at the dangling string.
Slide
A decline or reduction.
There was a noticeable slide in sales last quarter.
Swipe
To steal or snatch quickly.
The thief swiped a wallet from the open bag.
Slide
To quietly enter or leave a situation.
She slid into the room without anyone noticing.
Swipe
To criticize sharply or dismissively.
He took a swipe at his critics during the interview.
Slide
To slip out of the proper position.
The glasses slid down his nose as he read.
Swipe
A quick, sweeping movement, especially on a touchscreen.
A quick swipe to the left deleted the email.
Slide
To move over a surface while maintaining smooth continuous contact.
Swipe
A sweeping blow or stroke.
Slide
To participate in a sport that involves such movement
Sliding for a medal in luge.
Swipe
The passing of a swipe card through an electronic reader.
Slide
To lose a secure footing or positioning; slip
Slid on the ice and fell.
Swipe
(Informal) A critical remark.
Slide
To pass smoothly and quietly; glide
Slid past the door without anyone noticing.
Swipe
A lever, especially one that raises the bucket in a well.
Slide
(Baseball) To drop down from a running into a lying or diving position when approaching a base so as to avoid being tagged out.
Swipe
To hit with a sweeping motion.
Slide
To be ignored or not dealt with; drop
Let the matter slide.
Swipe
To pass (a swipe card) through an electronic reader.
Slide
To decrease
Prices slid in morning trading.
Swipe
(Informal) To steal; filch.
Slide
To become less favorable or less desirable
Economic conditions have begun to slide.
Swipe
To make a sweeping stroke.
Slide
To cause to slide or slip
Slid the glass down to the other end of the counter.
Swipe
(intransitive) To grab or bat quickly.
The cat swiped at the shoelace.
Slide
To place covertly or deftly
Slid the stolen merchandise into his pocket.
Swipe
(transitive) To strike with a strong blow in a sweeping motion.
Slide
A sliding movement or action.
Swipe
(transitive) To scan or register by sliding (a swipecard etc.) through a reader.
He swiped his card at the door.
Slide
A smooth, usually inclined surface or track for sliding
A water slide.
Swipe
To interact with a touch screen by drawing one's finger rapidly across it.
Swipe left to hide the toolbar.
Slide
A playground apparatus for children to slide on, typically consisting of a smooth chute climbed onto by means of a ladder.
Swipe
To steal or snatch.
Hey! Who swiped my lunch?
Slide
A part that operates by sliding, as the U-shaped section of tube on a trombone that is moved to change the pitch.
Swipe
(countable) A quick grab, bat, or other motion with the hand or paw; a sweep.
Slide
A period of decline or loss
"The semiconductor industry is heading for a cyclical slide" (New York Times).
Swipe
(countable) A strong blow given with a sweeping motion, as with a bat or club.
Slide
An image on a transparent base for projection on a screen.
Swipe
An act of interacting with a touch screen by drawing the finger rapidly across it.
Slide
One of a series of images projected digitally as part of a presentation.
Swipe
(countable) An act of passing a swipecard through a card reader.
Slide
A small glass plate for mounting specimens to be examined under a microscope.
Swipe
A rough guess; an estimate or swag.
Take a swipe at the answer, even if you're not sure.
Slide
A fall of a mass of rock, earth, or snow down a slope; an avalanche or landslide.
Swipe
An attack, insult or critical remark.
The politician took a swipe at his opponents.
Slide
A backless shoe with an open toe.
Swipe
(uncountable) Poor, weak beer or other inferior alcoholic beverage; rotgut.
Slide
A slight portamento used in violin playing, passing quickly from one note to another.
Swipe
A swape or sweep. See Sweep.
Slide
An ornamentation consisting of two grace notes approaching the main note.
Swipe
A strong blow given with a sweeping motion, as with a bat or club.
Swipes [in cricket] over the blower's head, and over either of the long fields.
Slide
A small metal or glass tube worn over a finger or held in the hand, used in playing bottleneck-style guitar.
Swipe
Poor, weak beer; small beer.
Slide
The bottleneck style of guitar playing.
Swipe
To give a swipe to; to strike forcibly with a sweeping motion, as a ball.
Loose balls may be swiped almost ad libitum.
Slide
(ergative) To (cause to) move in continuous contact with a surface.
He slid the boat across the grass.
The safe slid slowly.
Snow slides down the side of a mountain.
Swipe
To pluck; to snatch; to steal.
Slide
(intransitive) To move on a low-friction surface.
The car slid on the ice.
Swipe
A sweeping stroke or blow
Slide
To drop down and skid into a base.
Jones slid into second.
Swipe
Strike with a swiping motion
Slide
(intransitive) To lose one’s balance on a slippery surface.
He slid while going around the corner.
Swipe
Make off with belongings of others
Slide
(transitive) To pass or put imperceptibly; to slip.
To alter the meaning of a question by sliding in a word
Schoolchildren sometimes slide each other notes during class.
Slide
(transitive) To subtly direct a facial expression at (someone).
He slid me a dirty look.
Slide
To pass inadvertently.
Slide
(intransitive) To pass along smoothly or unobservedly; to move gently onward without friction or hindrance.
A ship or boat slides through the water.
Slide
To decrease in amount or value.
The stock market slid yesterday after major stocks released weak quarterly results.
Slide
(music) To smoothly pass from one note to another by bending the pitch upwards or downwards.
Slide
(regional) To ride down snowy hills upon a toboggan or similar object for recreation.
Slide
To go; to move from one place or to another.
Slide
(soccer) To kick so that the ball slides along the ground with little or no turning.
Slide
An item of play equipment that children can climb up and then slide down again.
The long, red slide was great fun for the kids.
Slide
A surface of ice, snow, butter, etc. on which someone can slide for amusement or as a practical joke.
Slide
The falling of large amounts of rubble, earth and stones down the slope of a hill or mountain; avalanche.
The slide closed the highway.
Slide
An inclined plane on which heavy bodies slide by the force of gravity, especially one constructed on a mountainside for conveying logs by sliding them down.
Slide
A mechanism consisting of a part which slides on or against a guide.
Slide
The act of sliding; smooth, even passage or progress.
A slide on the ice
Slide
A lever that can be moved in two directions.
Slide
A valve that works by sliding, such as in a trombone.
Slide
(photography) A transparent plate bearing an image to be projected to a screen.
Slide
A page of a computer presentation package such as PowerPoint.
I still need to prepare some slides for my presentation tomorrow.
Slide
(sciences) A flat, usually rectangular piece of glass or similar material on which a prepared sample may be viewed through a microscope Generally referred to as a microscope slide.
Slide
(baseball) The act of dropping down and skidding into a base
Slide
A hand-held device made of smooth, hard material, used in the practice of slide guitar.
Slide
A lively dance from County Kerry, in 12/8 time.
Slide
(geology) A small dislocation in beds of rock along a line of fissure.
Slide
(music) A grace consisting of two or more small notes moving by conjoint degrees, and leading to a principal note either above or below.
Slide
(phonetics) A sound which, by a gradual change in the position of the vocal organs, passes imperceptibly into another sound.
Slide
A clasp or brooch for a belt, etc.
Slide
A pocket in one's pants (trousers).
With ten dollars in his slide
Slide
(footwear) A shoe that is backless and open-toed.
Slide
(speech therapy) A voluntary stutter used as a technique to control stuttering in one's speech.
Slide
A promiscuous woman, slut.
Slide
To move along the surface of any body by slipping, or without walking or rolling; to slip; to glide; as, snow slides down the mountain's side.
Slide
Especially, to move over snow or ice with a smooth, uninterrupted motion, as on a sled moving by the force of gravity, or on the feet.
They bathe in summer, and in winter slide.
Slide
To pass inadvertently.
Beware thou slide not by it.
Slide
To pass along smoothly or unobservedly; to move gently onward without friction or hindrance; as, a ship or boat slides through the water.
Ages shall slide away without perceiving.
Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole.
Slide
To slip when walking or standing; to fall.
Their foot shall slide in due time.
Slide
To pass from one note to another with no perceptible cassation of sound.
Slide
To pass out of one's thought as not being of any consequence.
With good hope let he sorrow slide.
With a calm carelessness letting everything slide.
Slide
To cause to slide; to thrust along; as, to slide one piece of timber along another.
Slide
To pass or put imperceptibly; to slip; as, to slide in a word to vary the sense of a question.
Slide
The act of sliding; as, a slide on the ice.
Slide
Smooth, even passage or progress.
A better slide into their business.
Slide
That on which anything moves by sliding.
Slide
That which operates by sliding.
Slide
A plate or slip of glass on which is a picture or delineation to be exhibited by means of a magic lantern, stereopticon, or the like; a plate on which is an object to be examined with a microscope.
Slide
The descent of a mass of earth, rock, or snow down a hill or mountain side; as, a land slide, or a snow slide; also, the track of bare rock left by a land slide.
Slide
A small dislocation in beds of rock along a line of fissure.
Slide
A grace consisting of two or more small notes moving by conjoint degrees, and leading to a principal note either above or below.
Slide
A sound which, by a gradual change in the position of the vocal organs, passes imperceptibly into another sound.
Slide
Same as Guide bar, under Guide.
Slide
A small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study
Slide
(geology) the descent of a large mass of earth or rocks or snow etc.
Slide
(music) rapid sliding up or down the musical scale;
The violinist was indulgent with his swoops and slides
Slide
Plaything consisting of a sloping chute down which children can slide
Slide
The act of moving smoothly along a surface while remaining in contact with it;
His slide didn't stop until the bottom of the hill
The children lined up for a coast down the snowy slope
Slide
A transparency mounted in a frame; viewed with a slide projector
Slide
Sloping channel through which things can descend
Slide
Move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner;
The wheels skidded against the sidewalk
Slide
To pass or move unobtrusively or smoothly;
They slid through the wicket in the big gate
Slide
Move smoothly along a surface;
He slid the money over to the other gambler
Common Curiosities
Are slide and swipe interchangeable in terms of physical movement?
No, slide implies a smooth, continuous contact with a surface, and swipe implies a brisk, sweeping motion.
Can both slide and swipe be used in digital contexts?
Swipe is predominantly used in digital contexts, such as navigating through a touchscreen, whereas slide is less common.
What are typical scenarios where 'slide' is used?
Moving objects across a surface, moving down a slide, or subtly joining a conversation.
How do the motions of slide and swipe differ?
Slide involves a controlled, steady motion; swipe is rapid and short.
What tools or objects are typically associated with sliding?
Doors, drawers, playground slides.
What is the primary difference between slide and swipe?
Slide is a smooth, steady movement along a surface, while swipe is a quick, brushing motion.
Can slide have both literal and figurative uses?
Yes, slide can describe physical movements or figuratively imply moving into situations.
Is swipe used figuratively in language?
Yes, swipe can be used figuratively to mean criticizing or rejecting something sharply.
What are typical scenarios where 'swipe' is used?
Navigating on digital devices, making quick gestures, or stealing something swiftly.
What tools or objects are typically associated with swiping?
Credit cards, smartphones.
Can you slide on a touchscreen?
While less common, sliding gestures like dragging are used on touchscreens.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
