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Tarot Card Meanings:
Knight of Swords

Knight of Swords: Overview and Symbols

The Knight of Swords in the tarot symbolizes swift action, ambition, and a determined pursuit of goals. This card indicates a bold, assertive approach to challenges and a focused, driven mindset.

Some Specific Symbols and Their Meanings in the Rider Waite Smith Tarot:

  • Knight charging forward on a horse: Symbolizes swift action, determination, and a proactive approach.

  • Raised sword: Represents ambition, clarity of purpose, and a readiness to confront challenges.

  • Strong winds and turbulent clouds: Indicate a dynamic and fast-paced environment, emphasizing urgency and rapid movement.

  • Focused expression: Reflects determination, decisiveness, and a single-minded pursuit of goals.

  • White horse: Symbolizes purity of intention and the drive for truth and justice.


A note on interpreting Court Cards: Court cards like Knights can represent the querent or someone else in the querent’s life. Be mindful of the context in which court cards appear.

knight of swords from the rider waite smith tarot
Knight of Swords as depicted in the Rider-Waite Smith Tarot by A.E. White, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith

Knight of Swords: Tarot Card Meanings

Keywords/Phrases: Swift action, ambition, determination, assertiveness, clarity, focus, proactive approach, decisiveness.

The Knight of Swords in the tarot signifies swift action and a determined pursuit of goals, embodying ambition and assertiveness. This card represents a clear, focused mindset and a proactive approach to challenges, charging forward with decisiveness and clarity of purpose. It encourages you to be bold and assertive in your endeavors, tackling obstacles head-on and maintaining a relentless drive toward your objectives. The Knight of Swords highlights the importance of staying focused and ambitious, using your mental clarity and determination to achieve your goals quickly and efficiently.

Knight of Swords: Reversed Tarot Card Meanings

Keywords/Phrases: Impulsiveness, recklessness, impatience, lack of direction, hasty decisions, rash actions, scattered energy, aggression.

When the Knight of Swords appears reversed in a tarot reading, it signifies impulsiveness and recklessness, where hasty decisions and rash actions can lead to negative consequences. This card suggests a lack of direction and scattered energy, with impatience driving you to act without fully considering the outcomes. The reversed Knight of Swords warns against aggression and the potential for conflict due to an overly assertive or confrontational approach. It highlights the need to slow down, think carefully, and avoid making impulsive moves that could result in unnecessary complications or setbacks.

Gallery: Knight of Swords in Various Tarot Decks

the page of swords, knight of swords, and king of swords from the tarot of the golden wheel by mila losenko
The Page, Knight, and King of Swords from Tarot of the Golden Wheel by Mila Losenko
knight of swords from the heavenly bloom tarot by noa ikeda
Knight of Swords from the Heavenly Bloom Tarot by Noa Ikeda