Word
swot
UK/swˈɒt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a student who studies very hard for exams, often while everyone else is relaxing.
n. a person who studies intensively, especially for examinations, often to the exclusion of social activities. Chiefly British in use, usually with mildly teasing connotations.
Examples
“She is a real swot and always gets top marks.”
“The other students call him a swot because he stays in the library every evening before exams.”
“Behind his reputation as a class swot lay a quiet ambition to win a scholarship that would take him beyond the small town where he grew up.”
Examples
simple
“She is a real swot and always gets top marks.”
contextual
“The other students call him a swot because he stays in the library every evening before exams.”
complex
“Behind his reputation as a class swot lay a quiet ambition to win a scholarship that would take him beyond the small town where he grew up.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “swot” in context.
Verb
01. call swot
“The other kids called him a swot just because he loved reading.”
verb + noun
02. swot passes
“The swot passes every exam easily but never helps anyone else revise.”
noun + verb
03. swot studies
“The swot studies late every night while the rest of us watch films.”
noun + verb
04. tease swot
“They teased her as a swot, but she got the best grades in the year.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. boring swot
“They called him a boring swot because he never went out during exams.”
adj + noun
06. clever swot
“She is a clever swot who always finishes top of the class in science.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. class swot
“Tom was the class swot and always knew the answer to every question.”
noun + noun
08. exam swot
“As an exam swot, she made detailed notes for every single topic.”
noun + noun
09. be a total swot
“He doesn't mind being a total swot if it means getting into university.”
10. call someone a swot
“They called me a swot when I stayed in to revise on Friday night.”
11. study like a swot
“I studied like a swot for a month and finally passed maths.”
12. the class swot
“Everyone asks the class swot for help the day before the test.”
Etymology
From a dialectal English word, from Middle English swot, swat, from Old English swāt (“perspiration; sweat”), from Proto-Germanic *swaitą (“sweat”). More at sweat.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/swot