Synonyms of horde

horde

noun

ˈhȯrd 

as in swarm

a great number of persons or creatures massed together

a horde of mosquitoes

hordes of tourists from the cruise ship crowded the shops and cafes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• swarm
• throng
• crowd
• flock
• mob
• legion
• multitude
• army
• herd
• mass
• masses
• host
• rout
• crush
• press
• bike
• drove
• millions
• scrum
• cram
• rabble
• gaggle
• pile
• mountain
• heap
• riffraff
• rabblement
• jam
• logjam

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun horde differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of horde are crowd, crush, mob, and throng. While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters

a horde of shoppers

When is it sensible to use crowd instead of horde?

The synonyms crowd and horde are sometimes interchangeable, but crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

When might crush be a better fit than horde?

The words crush and horde can be used in similar contexts, but crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

When can mob be used instead of horde?

The meanings of mob and horde largely overlap; however, mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of horde

Or what about storming the field, the tradition that follows a momentous win, when order dissolves and players brace themselves for a horde of fans pouring out of the stands. — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore. — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

This is good old Mother Earth, and the Inuit people have thrived here for a few thousand years, living cheek to jowl with muskox, polar bears, caribou, tundra grizzlies, red fox, Arctic fox and hordes of ducks and geese. — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026

The body police, in these cases, aren’t a horde of nameless Instagrammers but our bosses, our Hinge dates, our peers. — Brittney McNamara, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026