Sweep
Winning all the games in a series
Example
Did you catch the game last night? The T-wolves finished the sweep!
I know, I can't believe the Suns didn’t even get one win. Total domination
Four straight. That’s how you send a message heading into the next round
Celtics sweeping an opponent
Related Slang
| Gentleman's sweep | Winning all the games in a series except one |
| ALDS | American League Division Series |
| NLDS | National League Division Series |
| ALCS | American League Championship Series |
| NLCS | National League Championship Series |
| WS | World Series |
| LCS | League Championship Series |
| NBA | National Basketball Association |
| MLB | Major League Baseball |
| NHL | National Hockey League |
| dom | Dominate |
How well do you know your Fantasy Football slang?
In sports, a "sweep" happens when one team wins all the games in a series (typically in the playoffs), leaving its opponent with no victories. For example, if a team wins a best-of-seven series 4–0, they've completed a sweep. The term comes from the idea of one team "sweeping away" the competition without giving them a chance to win.
You will see or hear "sweep" in multiple sports, especially the NBA, NHL, and MLB. For example, analysts and commentators often use the term to highlight the dominant performance of the winning team, and fans also commonly use the term (they sometimes use broom emojis on social media or bring broom signs to a game).
Origin of sweep
The origin of the "sweep" slang term is unclear, but it dates back to at least the mid-20th century in baseball, before becoming widely popular across all major U.S. sports leagues. Sports broadcasters and analysts began using "sweep" frequently during playoff coverage in the 1980s and 1990s, and it's since become a staple in fan vocabulary.