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
Synonyms
Examples of swarm in a Sentence
Noun
a swarm of tourists descends upon the island every summer
Recent Examples on the Web
Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Next to him, a swarm of servers placed several accoutrements next to it, including harissa oil, garlic-tahini salt and fresh herbs.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024
Imagine swarms of robots working alongside humans to: Repair crumbling infrastructure (roads, bridges, and buildings).
—Timothy Papandreou, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Surrounded by a swarm of busy mechanics, our car sports blue-and-orange Gulf Racing–style livery, plus a set of grooved wet tires instead of the usual slicks.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024
Just last week, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev's quarterfinal match in Indian Wells, California, on Thursday was paused due to a swarm of bees on the court.
—Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
He’s had some brutal encounters, however, like when he was stung about 600 times by an African honeybee swarm in the 1990s.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
In Kim Stanley Robinson’s prescient science fiction novel The Ministry for the Future, a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles is deployed to crash an airliner.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024
The other quakes in the Thursday, Feb. 1, swarm ranged from 1.3 to 3.3 magnitude, according to the USGS.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 1 Feb. 2024
Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
But in the early hours of April 6, 2022, police officers and detectives swarmed his home and arrested him.
—Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Leading up to the solar eclipse, nearly a quarter million visitors are expected to swarm the Green Mountain State due to its position within the path of totality.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The last time that these broods swarmed aboveground together, Thomas Jefferson was president and the city of Chicago had yet to exist.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Federal authorities swarmed Diddy’s homes Armed law enforcement officers were seen around Combs’ residences Monday in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills neighborhood and Miami Beach’s exclusive community of Star Island, CNN crews reported.
—John Miller, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Bees swarmed the primary showcourt Thursday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, near Palm Springs, during the quarter-final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Germany's Alexander Zverev.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024
Responding units swarmed the hotel, and bodycam footage from different angles showed police barking orders to open the door and come out with hands up.
—Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2024
The bill also creates a new penalty for groups of people who organize on social media to swarm a retail establishment, causing a distraction to steal merchandise.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
Aftershocks are not to be confused with swarms, which are sequences of small earthquakes associated with geothermal activity with no identifiable mainshock.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Next to him, a swarm of servers placed several accoutrements next to it, including harissa oil, garlic-tahini salt and fresh herbs.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024
Imagine swarms of robots working alongside humans to: Repair crumbling infrastructure (roads, bridges, and buildings).
—Timothy Papandreou, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Surrounded by a swarm of busy mechanics, our car sports blue-and-orange Gulf Racing–style livery, plus a set of grooved wet tires instead of the usual slicks.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024
Just last week, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev's quarterfinal match in Indian Wells, California, on Thursday was paused due to a swarm of bees on the court.
—Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
He’s had some brutal encounters, however, like when he was stung about 600 times by an African honeybee swarm in the 1990s.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
In Kim Stanley Robinson’s prescient science fiction novel The Ministry for the Future, a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles is deployed to crash an airliner.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024
The other quakes in the Thursday, Feb. 1, swarm ranged from 1.3 to 3.3 magnitude, according to the USGS.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 1 Feb. 2024
Verb
When Gagosian arrived on the roof, he was swarmed with well-wishers and clients like collector pal Beth DeWoody and son Carlton DeWoody, Chelsea Handler, Maria Shriver and Mary Steenburgen.
—Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
But in the early hours of April 6, 2022, police officers and detectives swarmed his home and arrested him.
—Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Leading up to the solar eclipse, nearly a quarter million visitors are expected to swarm the Green Mountain State due to its position within the path of totality.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The last time that these broods swarmed aboveground together, Thomas Jefferson was president and the city of Chicago had yet to exist.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Federal authorities swarmed Diddy’s homes Armed law enforcement officers were seen around Combs’ residences Monday in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills neighborhood and Miami Beach’s exclusive community of Star Island, CNN crews reported.
—John Miller, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Bees swarmed the primary showcourt Thursday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, near Palm Springs, during the quarter-final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Germany's Alexander Zverev.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024
Responding units swarmed the hotel, and bodycam footage from different angles showed police barking orders to open the door and come out with hands up.
—Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2024
The bill also creates a new penalty for groups of people who organize on social media to swarm a retail establishment, causing a distraction to steal merchandise.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swarm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English swearm; akin to Old High German swaram swarm and probably to Latin susurrus hum
Verb (2)
origin unknown
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Verb (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of swarm was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing swarm
Articles Related to swarm
Dictionary Entries Near swarm
Cite this Entry
“Swarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swarm. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on swarm
Nglish: Translation of swarm for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of swarm for Arabic Speakers
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