slang To contact emergency services, such as the police, with a fraudulent report of an emergency so that they respond in large numbers to a certain location, often done as a prank. The name refers to SWAT ("Special Weapons and Tactics") teams, specialized police units that respond to especially dangerous situations. Kids keep swatting celebrities' houses, and police are coming down hard when they catch the person who did it.

slang The act of contacting emergency services, such as the police, with a fraudulent report of an emergency so that they respond in large numbers to a certain location, often done as a prank. The name refers to SWAT ("Special Weapons and Tactics") teams, specialized police units that respond to especially dangerous situations. Swatting is much more dangerous than a simple prank—it diverts first responders who may be needed elsewhere.