Swatted: meaning, definitions and examples

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swatted

 

[ ˈswɒtɪd ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

action, gaming

Swatted refers to the act of making a false report to emergency services, leading to a heavily armed police response at a particular location. This term is especially associated with online gaming communities, where one player may seek revenge or intimidate another by causing a SWAT team to be dispatched to their address. The act is not only illegal but can also put lives at risk and is considered a serious crime in many jurisdictions.

Synonyms

falsely report, hoax alert, prank call

Examples of usage

  • He was swatted during his live stream.
  • The gamer received a call and was swatted.
  • Swatting incidents have increased in recent years.
  • Authorities are cracking down on swatted calls.

Translations

Translations of the word "swatted" in other languages:

🇵🇹 atacado com uma falsa denúncia de emergência

🇮🇳 झूठे आपातकालीन आरोप में फंसाना

🇩🇪 falscher Notruf

🇮🇩 diserang dengan laporan darurat palsu

🇺🇦 атакований через фальшивий виклик екстрених служб

🇵🇱 zaatakowany fałszywym zgłoszeniem

🇯🇵 偽の緊急通報による攻撃

🇫🇷 attaqué par un faux appel d'urgence

🇪🇸 atacado con un falso aviso de emergencia

🇹🇷 sahte acil ihbarla saldırıya uğramak

🇰🇷 허위 긴급 신고로 공격받다

🇸🇦 تعرض لاعتداء من خلال بلاغ كاذب عن حالة طوارئ

🇨🇿 napaden falešným nouzovým voláním

🇸🇰 napadnutý falošným núdzovým volaním

🇨🇳 被虚假的紧急报告攻击

🇸🇮 napaden z lažnim nujnim klicem

🇮🇸 slegið á með fölsuðum neyðarsímtali

🇰🇿 жалған төтенше жағдай туралы хабарламамен шабуыл жасалды

🇬🇪 ყალბი საგანგებო ზარის შედეგად თავდასხმა

🇦🇿 saxta təcili çağırış ilə hücuma məruz qalmaq

🇲🇽 atacado con un falso aviso de emergencia

Word origin

The term 'swat' originates from the special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams used by law enforcement agencies for high-risk operations. It gained traction in the early 2000s, particularly within the realm of online gaming and internet culture. The first recorded instances of swatting can be traced back to incidents where individuals maliciously reported false emergencies to provoke a police response, often targeting streamers or fellow gamers. As these cases became more publicized, the term 'swatting' became widely recognized, leading to legal repercussions and increased awareness of the seriousness of the act. The combination of technology and anonymity in internet interactions has facilitated the rise of swatting, prompting law enforcement and legislators to address the issue more forcefully.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,572 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.