1
as in boyfriend
a male romantic companion
a romanticized portrait of a bygone era of beauteous Southern belles and their gallant swains
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in lover
a man who courts a woman usually with the goal of marrying her
Grandma claims that she had several swains pursuing her, but it was only Grandpa who won her heart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swain
Similar to the Broadway musical, the new movie ends with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and her strawman swain Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) walking into the sunset away from Oz, after the revelation that Elphaba staged her own melting death by hiding under a trapdoor.
—
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 22 Nov. 2025
As the two lovers, Robin Wright as the comely princess and Cary Elwes as her loving swain are engaging and appealing.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
But in the new film, the unnamed swain has been replaced by a Robin Hood-style heartthrob named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a defiant group of bandits that steals from the monarchy and gives to the poor.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Science emerges as a version of the pastoral, with the physicist as swain.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
Odette is a shape-shifter, from woman to swan, under sorcerer Rothbart’s spell, only to be broken when a swain pledges true love to her—Siegfried to the rescue.
—Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Kramer, once again showing infinite tact, dissuaded the swain.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Dec. 2023
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 22 Nov. 2025
As the two lovers, Robin Wright as the comely princess and Cary Elwes as her loving swain are engaging and appealing.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
But in the new film, the unnamed swain has been replaced by a Robin Hood-style heartthrob named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a defiant group of bandits that steals from the monarchy and gives to the poor.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Science emerges as a version of the pastoral, with the physicist as swain.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
Odette is a shape-shifter, from woman to swan, under sorcerer Rothbart’s spell, only to be broken when a swain pledges true love to her—Siegfried to the rescue.
—Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Kramer, once again showing infinite tact, dissuaded the swain.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swain
Noun
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Her boyfriend has just been drafted, to serve thankfully, for now, at a checkpoint.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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According to his probable cause affidavit, Ramirez said Beverley’s sister told him that her mother had called Beverley to come over after discovering that the girl had been out with her boyfriend without permission.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Picture a waterfront bustling with bobbing fishing boats and the air tinged with the scent of fresh seafood, as San Hing Praya Street and Pak She Praya Road dish out alfresco dining scenes straight out of a sunset lover's dream.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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Under a sprawling white tent on Miami Beach, thousands of food lovers gathered Saturday to eat, drink and celebrate in style.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The 26-year-old singer and her actor beau made their red carpet debut on Sunday, smiling for cameras at the BAFTAs.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
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Over the past week, a 30-year-old TikTok personality with a famous actor beau showed up in an awful lot of front rows.—
Ashley Fetters Maloy,
Washington Post,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Paramount’s interest in buying WBD triggered an M&A review in which Netflix emerged as the winning suitor.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
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The first is that Jones didn’t just look like a starter in 2025 but someone who could lead an imperfect team, which is what any potential suitor would be.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Liam MacPhee scored 37 points to help lead Stoneham to a 78-59 preliminary round boys basketball victory over Belchertown.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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The it-boy’s go-to it-bag runs the gamut.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The original nine defendants in the case, including Lemon and another fellow journalist, have all pleaded not guilty.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
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While the fellow players tried to talk themselves into a grand theory of gamers and/or Housewives betraying one another, Rob kept things close to the chest — developing relationships in thoughtful, quiet ways but always willing to turn his back on his friends when the timing was right.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the days leading up to the Olympics men's hockey final, FBI spokesman Ben Williamson clashed with several news outlets that had reported Patel had used the government jet to fly to Italy with plans to attend hockey games at the Olympics.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
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The North Highlands man, 34 at the time of his attacks, then raped and beat them in his vehicle and at a home before dumping them along capital region roadsides.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swain. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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