Definition
A wing design in which the wings are angled rearward (or, less commonly, forward) from the fuselage rather than extending straight out at right angles. Sweep delays the onset of compressibility effects at high speeds, allowing efficient flight at higher Mach numbers, but it also changes low-speed handling characteristics — typically reducing lift at low speeds and altering stall behavior compared to a straight wing.
Plain English
A wing that is angled backward from the body of the airplane instead of sticking straight out to the side. This shape works better at high speeds but behaves differently at slow speeds.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft descriptions and in maneuver discussions where wing shape affects the pilot’s sight picture, handling, or performance.
Derivation
From 'swept,' meaning angled or pushed back from a reference line. The wing is 'swept' away from a perpendicular line off the fuselage.
Why Pilots Care
Swept wings change stall behavior and roll response, so pilots must adjust timing and bank angles when flying the maneuver in these aircraft.
Analogy
Think of your arms held straight out to the sides, then angled slightly backward. The wings are still out to the sides, but their shape and position are no longer straight across.
Intuition Check
“Swept” does not mean the wing has been cleaned or cleared. Here it means the wing is angled backward or forward compared with a straight-out wing.
Example Sentence 1
Most modern airliners use a swept-wing design to fly efficiently at high cruise speeds.
Example Sentence 2
Because the airplane was swept-wing, the stall occurred first at the wingtips and moved inward more gradually than on a straight-wing trainer.