Knight of Swords Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes or No

Upright meaning

Keywords: Action · Decisiveness · Drive · Directness · Rapid progress

The Knight of Swords charges at full gallop, sword raised high above his head. This is the energy of acting the moment your mind is made up, with no hesitation. The wind is so strong that the distant trees bend to one side, yet the Knight rides straight into it. Now isn't the time to weigh every option. It's the time to push forward with what you've decided.

Love

This is a time when you'll want to show your feelings as soon as you have them. If you're single, reaching out first to someone you like works in your favour. If you're in a relationship, things can move forward quickly, and you'll both find yourselves saying what you really feel instead of holding back.

Relationships

You're more likely to say what you mean right away than to talk around it. Even if opinions clash, you'll take the lead as long as you make your case clearly and logically.

Career & study

Your decisiveness and skill turn directly into results right now. Expect more time out and about, and as busy as you get, things will move just as fast.

Money

Money flows when you think fast and act quickly. But sudden expenses go up too, so take one more look before you hit pay.

Mind & wellbeing

Your mind is clear and you're full of energy. With so much going on, make sure you still get enough sleep.

As a person

Someone quick-thinking who acts without holding back. They're straight-talking and charming, but underneath, they've usually already run the numbers coolly.

As someone's feelings

They're quite keen on you. Now that they've made up their mind, they want to get closer fast, so they're likely to be very direct about it.

What to do

Finish one decision you've been putting off today. Even just replying to that message you've been sitting on is a good start.

Watch out for

You move so fast that people around you can struggle to keep up. Even when you're right, being sharp about it makes enemies, so soften your tone a little.

Reversed meaning

Keywords: Haste · Scattered focus · Recklessness · Saying the wrong thing · Rethinking direction

The Knight who charged ahead, sword raised, has lost his sense of direction. The horse keeps galloping, but he's pushing on without checking where he's headed. Your thoughts are scattered, so your energy can't focus in one place. Now is the time to slow down and figure out your direction again.

Love

When you're feeling impatient, words can tumble out before you've thought them through. If you're single, don't rush towards someone you don't really know yet. If you're in a relationship, one thing said in the heat of the moment could turn into a bigger fight, so pause for a beat before you speak.

Relationships

It's easy for both sides to talk past each other and clash. Listening all the way through, rather than trying to win the argument, is what will protect the relationship in the end.

Career & study

You may be starting lots of things and struggling to finish them. Decisions made without thinking through the outcome will need fixing later, so sort out your plan first.

Money

Impulse spending is on the rise. When something catches your eye, leave it in your basket and look again after a day.

Mind & wellbeing

Your head is busy, but you can't actually focus. Your body can get worn out too, so take one thing off your schedule.

As a person

Someone with plenty of drive who charges in without thinking things through. They tend to promise more than they deliver and often break their word.

As someone's feelings

They do have feelings for you, but they're caught up in the excitement without having sorted out what they feel. Their signals are inconsistent, so what they say today may not match what they do tomorrow.

What to do

Pick one non-urgent task from today's list and move it to tomorrow. Write the rest down in order and finish them one at a time.

Watch out for

If you've written a message while angry, read it again before you send it. Words said in haste are hard to take back.

Symbols in the picture

An armored knight raises his sword high and drives his horse at full speed, cutting straight through the wind. This card is the power to act the moment your mind is made up, without hesitating. But it also warns that moving this fast can leave you blind to what's around you.

• The Raised Sword. The knight holds his sword up at an angle over his head, thrusting it forward. The sword stands for sharp thoughts and words. His mind is made up, and now he wants to put that decision to use right away. When this card appears, read it as: you already know what you want to say. The only question is timing.
  Reversed: The sword is still raised, but he's swinging his words before he's thought them through. Read it as a careless remark, said the moment it came to mind, that ends up tangling things.
• The Galloping Horse. The horse stretches its front legs out and lengthens its whole body as it charges off to one side. This is speed with no intention of stopping. Waite described this knight as riding at full speed, as if scattering his enemies. Read it as a time when things suddenly speed up, or when you need to be the one to make the first move.
  Reversed: The horse keeps charging with its front legs stretched out, but no one is watching where it's going. Read it as being so focused on finishing quickly that you've headed off in the wrong direction.
• The Helmeted Knight. Covered head to toe in helmet and armor, the knight leans forward. This is someone with courage, skill and full readiness for a fight. Some see him as a knight like Galahad, whose pure heart made his sword quick and true. Read it as a sign that it's okay to finally step into something you've been hesitating over.
  Reversed: He's fully armored and leaning in, but the readiness is only on the surface. Read it as confidence running a step ahead of your actual skill.
• The Billowing Cape. Behind the knight, his cape flaps wide in the wind. It shows just how much speed he's picked up. He's charging ahead with no time to look back. Read it as a nudge to check whether you're deciding fast but putting off dealing with the aftermath.
  Reversed: He's going fast enough to make his cape billow wide, but he hasn't taken care of anything he's passed. Read it as unfinished things you started piling up behind you.
• Butterflies and Birds on the Gear. Butterfly and bird patterns decorate the horse's trappings and the knight's clothing. Butterflies and birds represent air, the energy of thought. They mark this knight as someone who acts from his head. Read it as: pushing forward with logic rather than feeling is your best tool right now.
  Reversed: Like butterflies and birds flitting here and there, your thoughts can't settle anywhere. Read it as a mind that's spinning hard without reaching a single conclusion.
• Torn Clouds and Birds in the Sky. Clouds are scattered across the sky, with birds flying between them. This is windy weather. Things around you are noisy and changing fast. Read it as: if you stay still, you'll get swept along, so choose your direction first.
  Reversed: Like birds flying every which way between scattered clouds, you're reacting to everything you hear. Read it as wasting time and energy by chasing after one thing, then another.
• Wind-Bent Trees. Far off on the ground, trees are bending to one side in the wind. The wind the knight stirs up shakes everything around him too. Speed always comes with some collision. Read it as a reminder to soften your tone, since your quick words can land hard on the people beside you.
  Reversed: Like a wind strong enough to bend distant trees, something you said without thinking may have hit someone harder than you realized. Read it as a call to slow down how fast you speak, and look back to see if you've left anyone behind.