Thesaurus results for HORDE

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

horde

noun

ˈhȯrd

Definition of horde

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

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of horde And now, Swift’s fans are set to descend on the city, accompanied by hordes of media who until recently had little to no concrete information about the hush-hush affair. — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 1 July 2026 But just to their left stood a horde of pro-transgender activists, some wearing costumes and others partially unclothed, shouting curse words. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026 That flagship became one of New York’s defining retail landmarks, attracting hordes of tourists and earning appearances in films including Big, Home Alone 2, Baby Boom and Annie. — Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Soon shoppers in two Southern states can join the hordes of fans who add ALDI finds to their carts each week. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for horde

Recent Examples of Synonyms for horde

Noun

Less than two months later a swarm of earthquakes ripped along the ridge.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 8 July 2026
But while a swarm of partisan American pundits may convince fans otherwise, the decision certainly fell in a gray area.

— Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of swarm

Noun

The funeral processions began last Saturday, with authorities shutting down streets, airspace and daily life in Tehran and other cities as throngs commemorated the man who led Iran for decades with an iron fist while confronting the West.

— Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Egyptian fans in the 300 level of the stadium were outnumbered but felt brave enough to taunt the throngs of Argentines behind them.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 7 July 2026

Definition of throng

Noun

That year, as Fredriksen explains, a flock of them took up residence in Palm Beach County’s Stormwater Treatment Area 2 (STA-2), some 80 miles north of their traditional grounds in the Keys and the southern edges of the Everglades.

— Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2026
In a 2024 paper, the researchers reported that doctors from the best medical schools flock to the highest-paying specialties.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Definition of flock

Noun

Four juveniles were taken into custody and face charges that include third-degree assault by mob, assault on police while resisting arrest, resisting arrest, possession of a machine gun and breach of peace.

— Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
When the decision on trans athletes was made the other day by the Supreme Court were the Justices swarmed by an angry mob and beheaded on the spot?

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of mob

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“Horde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horde. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of horde

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