Definition of swift-boat in US English:

verb

• Target (a politician or public figure) with a campaign of personal attacks.

  ‘when he got swift-boated, his campaign staffers didn't sit silently’

  ‘organized smearing and swift-boating of public figures’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Anyone who thinks he won't be swift-boated is living in a dream.’
  • ‘Maybe swift-boating will disappear this year.’
  • ‘Are you sick and tired of seeing all these Republican candidates swift-boating each other?’
  • ‘However we can also lie, spin, smear, defame, swift-boat, and (in one worrying recent case from the sewer) threaten violence.’
  • ‘It was one of the very first issues to be swift-boated by social conservatives.’
  • ‘In Iowa yesterday, a reporter asked former House Speaker Gingrich if he felt he was being swift-boated.’
  • ‘Obama told reporters he won't be swift-boated.’
  • ‘Both candidates showed that they will not be swift-boated.’
  • ‘It is at least an open question as to whether Democrats this year will attempt to match the Republicans in their willingness to "swift-boat".’
  • ‘This is how swift-boating differs from its cousin McCarthyism, which deals in totally baseless charges that would be deeply serious if true.’
  • ‘The raw material for swift-boating this year is already apparent.’
  • ‘He had been swift-boated in August.’
  • ‘It's good practice for serious swift-boating.’
  • ‘He says his wife is being swift-boated by her opponents.’
  • ‘In the US, swift-boating is now a regular tactic.’
  • ‘He's so competitive, they're now swift-boating him.’
  • ‘Don't argue with them, swift-boat them. Find some embarrassing quote from an old interview.’
  • ‘"There is a feeling that Kerry did not run an effective campaign because he allowed himself to be swift-boated," said Gallagher.’
  • ‘In spite of continued attempts to swift-boat him, he remains one of America’s great naval leaders and patriots.’
  • ‘I think the idea that you can go into the general election and expect there not to be any negative attacks, or any effort to sort of swift-boat whoever our candidate is, is not realistic.’