1
a
: a great number of honeybees emigrating together from a hive in company with a queen to start a new colony elsewhere
b
: a colony of honeybees settled in a hive
2
a
: a large number of animate or inanimate things massed together and usually in motion : throng
swarms of sightseers
a swarm of locusts
a swarm of meteors
b
: a number of similar geologic features or phenomena close together in space or time
a swarm of dikes
an earthquake swarm
swarmed; swarming; swarms
1
: to form and depart from a hive in a swarm
2
a
: to move or assemble in a crowd : throng
b
: to hover about in the manner of a bee in a swarm
3
: to contain a swarm : teem
swarming with bugs
1
: to fill with a swarm
2
: to beset or surround in a swarm
players swarming the quarterback
swarmer
noun
Examples of swarm in a Sentence
Noun
a swarm of tourists descends upon the island every summer
Verb (1)
meeting little resistance, the pirates swarmed the decks of the merchant ship
at this time of year that Mexican resort swarms with college students on spring break
Verb (2)
one of the physical challenges had competitors swarming over a pile of logs
Recent Examples on the Web
Al Weaver, The Hill, 25 June 2025
In another, a suspect was tackled to the pavement near a bench as a swarm of police closed in around him.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 26 June 2025
Three luxury hotels are officially booked and some water taxis reserved for the wedding, the local press is swarming the event with paparazzi and mega‑yachts crowding canals.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for swarm
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Noun
The swarm to support his latest move marked the latest bit of whiplash across the MAGA ranks as they have been divided since the Saturday strikes.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 25 June 2025
In another, a suspect was tackled to the pavement near a bench as a swarm of police closed in around him.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025
Verb
Some stellar clusters pack thousands of stars into a small volume of space, and the bustling galactic center swarms with stars.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 26 June 2025
Three luxury hotels are officially booked and some water taxis reserved for the wedding, the local press is swarming the event with paparazzi and mega‑yachts crowding canals.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for swarm
Cite this Entry
“Swarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swarm. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swarm
1 of 2 noun1
: a great number of honeybees leaving together from a hive with a queen to start a new colony elsewhere
also
: a colony of honeybees settled in a hive
2
: a large number grouped together and usually in motion
swarms of sightseers
a swarm of meteors
swarm
2 of 2 verb1
: to form and leave a hive in a swarm
2
: to move or gather in a swarm : throng
spectators swarmed into the stadium
3
: to contain or fill with a swarm
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