Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

swatting

noun

/ˈswɒtɪŋ/

Definition

Swatting refers to the act of making a false report to emergency services with the intent of sending a large number of armed police officers to a specific location under the guise of a serious threat.

Examples

Swatting is not only dangerous but also illegal and can lead to severe consequences.
After being targeted by swatting, the streamer took extra precautions to protect their personal information.
Many online gamers have had to deal with the threat of swatting from jealous rivals.

Meaning

The term is often used in the context of online gaming or streaming, where someone deceives law enforcement into believing that a dangerous situation is occurring at the address of a targeted individual, causing a SWAT team to respond.