Five of Swords Tarot Card Meaning: Love, Health, Money & More

Let’s get ready to rumble! The Five of Swords tarot card in a reading represents conflict or drama that is about to come into your life.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the problems you will come into contact with will be scary or impossible to deal with, but there is sure to be a hard battle.

Minor disagreements with friends or family members might be coming to a head. Perhaps, you’ll start to experience more conflict at work.

If you hope to overcome the issues that are headed your way, you’ll need to sharpen your swords. Now is the time to prepare yourself for the battle that is coming.

Five of Swords Key Words 

Before diving deeper into the upright- and reversed Five of Swords card meaning, and its connection to love, career, and life, below is a quick overview of the most important words and some facts connected to this Minor Arcana card.

Upright	Battles, arguments, conflict, defeat, surrender
Reversed	Compromise, moving forward, solutions to a conflict
Yes or No	No
Number	5
Element	Air
Planet	Aquarius
Astrological Sign	Uranus

Five of Swords Tarot Card Description

To fully understand the Five of Swords tarot card meaning, we will first take a look at the illustration, colors, and symbolism of this Cups card.

The Five of Swords depicts a man holding three swords in the foreground of the card. This man has a look of contempt on his face as he looks back at those he has defeated.

In the background, two defeated men have their back turned and are walking away hanging their heads in defeat.

The clouds in the sky hang ominously, signifying that although the battle is over, all is not well. 

Five of Swords meaning

In the upright position, the Five of Swords stands for disagreements or other battles present or impending in your life. The chaos that ensues is usually brought on by a lack of communication, so the best thing you can do to overcome this is to talk it out.

Are you having trouble coming to a compromise with someone close to you? Speak your feelings and hold nothing back. You will have to talk it out to gain the clarity and understanding that you seek.

Money and Career Meaning 

In a career reading, the Five of Swords tells us you are dealing with a great deal of dispute at work. This could be caused by a lack of communication or a complete lack of it at all.

If you find yourself in a position where you are tempted to defend yourself, choose your words wisely.

The Five of Swords reminds us that self-sabotaging behavior does not serve us or those around us. Speak with purpose and remember that kindness goes a long way at any time you are trying to resolve a problem. 

You may feel like now is the time for you to walk away and pursue a new career. This could be a great option if the issues you are experiencing are resulting from the culture of the workplace but make to examine your part in this as well.

The Five of Swords can sometimes indicate that you are part of the problem. Have you taken on a lot of debt because of impulsivity? It’s possible that a change in your behavior could go a long way to fix your current situation.

Love and Relationships Meaning  

When the Five of Swords appears in a love reading, it represents relationship problems in several different areas. As with money and career, your disagreements likely revolve around your need to learn to communicate more effectively.

On the other hand, self-sabotaging actions could play a part as well. Do you put up with cheating, infidelity, or other bad habits? To do so is to your own detriment.

The person that is meant to love you will cause you no harm. When you are put in a position to choose your health and happiness or the emotions of another person, pick yourself every time.

Like the two men depicted on the face of the Five of Swords, sometimes winning the battle means walking away from it altogether.

Health and Spirituality Meaning 

With spirituality, this card represents wisdom and empathy gained from first-hand experience. The trials you faced have positively shaped who you are and will allow you to assist others in their journeys.

Don’t be surprised if people start to reach out to you for advice. You have much to share and sometimes telepathically you know already what they need.

In a health reading, the Five of Swords foretells a possible illness in your future. The sickness that you experience may be related to a habit of not taking care of yourself or not communicating with your doctor effectively.

You will have to put up a big fight to overcome this, but the outcome will be positive if you remain fully focused on recovery.

Five of Swords Reversed

n this paragraph, we will talk a bit more about what it means if you’ve pulled the Five of Swords tarot card in the reversed position (upside down).

In a reversed position, the Five of Swords tells that it’s time to end the battle and to forgive and forget. As such, the Five of Swords reversed points to a good omen. When you see this card in a spread, you can expect resolution of conflict, finding harmony, and finally realizing peace within.

You will let go of resentments and stop holding grudges toward people that have wronged you in the past. Now is the time to relax and enjoy life – the worst part is over! 

The Five of Swords reversed also serves as a warning sign that if you’re not willing to settle, things can escalate very badly and that you put a lot at risk.

Sometimes, you have to accept things and let go of your ego. Even if you’re right about something, it’s probably a waste of your time to prove this. Instead, put your energy into more productive efforts.

Five of Swords: Yes or No 

The Five of Swords, in general, represents a bad omen. When this card appears in your reading, it tells a story of discord, defeat, stress, and anxiety. Because there is no positive association with this card, the answer in a Yes or No reading to your question is no.

Five of Swords and Astrology

The Five of Swords is connected to the zodiac sign Aquarius. This sign is represented by the water-bearer and is ruled by the planet Uranus, related to rebellion and innovation. Aquarius isn’t interested in traditions and out-of-date values and has trouble with authority. They’re rebellious and like to do their own thing. Rebels at heart:)

Important Card Combination

The Five of Swords stands for conflicts or other battles present or impending in your life. Also in combinations with other tarot cards, it’s often a sign of disagreements, neglection, and defeat.

Five of Swords and The Magician

When the Five of Swords and the Magician appear alongside each other in a reading, they represent the power of words. This serves as a warning to be careful what you say to others, especially when you are feeling stressed or angry.

When we allow our emotions to take over when we are trying to communicate, the result is rarely a good one. It is important to say what you mean and mean what you say. You should avoid speaking with a sharp tongue wherever possible. 

Five of Swords and The Empress

When you see this duo appear in a reading, it is an indication of neglect. Are you in a relationship where you feel you aren’t getting everything you need to be happy?

The Five of Swords and the Empress are here to remind you that you don’t deserve that kind of treatment. It is up to you to stand up for yourself and demand the treatment that you want and need. Don’t let anyone make you feel neglected or unwanted. 

Five of Swords and Nine of Wands

If you get the Five of Swords and the Nine of Wands in a reading, you are being taken advantage of in an important relationship in your life. Perhaps a friend is taking more than he or she is putting into your friendship.

Now is the time to pay close attention to the people you keep around you and to commit some time to think about what this person contributes to your life.

A healthy and happy relationship involves some give and take from both partners involved. If you are doing too much, or your friend is doing too little, it is time to re-evaluate and possibly walk away. 

Five of Swords and Ten of Pentacles

The combination with the Ten of Pentacles is here to alert you of an unhappy family situation. Is there a conflict going on in your home that has come to a head recently?

If so, the cards strongly encourage you to take control of the situation and to put some serious effort into de-escalating things. You deserve to live in a happy home with a harmonious family.

When you are home, you should be in a place of rest and relaxation. No matter how bad you feel the situation has become, there is always a way to find the resolution you seek.

Focus on living authentically and you will find deliverance from the issues you are having in every area of your life.

The Five of Swords Tarot Card in a Reading

That’s all for the Five of Swords tarot meaning! Can’t get enough? If you have pulled the upright or reversed Five of Swords card in your spread, did the meaning make sense to your situation in life?

Are you a Tarot beginner? Learn how to read Tarot in this Tarot Beginners Guide.