SWAYS Synonyms: 179 Similar and Opposite Words

sways 1 of 2

noun

plural of sway

as in effects

the power to bring about a result on another under the sway of euphoria, she offered to take us all out to dinner in celebration of her new job

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in influences

the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in controls

the right or means to command or control others a time when Rome held sway over a vast empire that stretched from Britain to the Near East

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sways

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of sway

as in affects

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response how can you not be swayed by that precious kitten, meowing as if to say, "Please take me home with you?"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lurches

to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions the way the ski lift was swaying in the wind made me nervous

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in governs

archaic to exercise authority or power over an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sways

Verb

Sunday's vote was seen as a key test of whether the EU member nation stays on its liberal course or sways toward the right. —

ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026 Grips the microphone, sways her hips. —

Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026 What to Expect From ‘Reminders of Him’ The film barely sways from the book, which has sold more than 6 million copies, a decision Caswill says was intentional after reading the screenplay by Lauren Levine and Hoover. —

Anna Halkidis, Parents, 11 Mar. 2026 Williams turns his ear for propulsive and bombastic melodies onto traditional Japanese instrumentation, creating a work that sways between gentle, meditative themes for the titular geisha (Ziyi) and heart-pounding selections to fill out her chaotic, tragic life. —

Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026 In addition, the NFL argued that the NFLPA refused to share important information about its survey, including methodology such as whether the data is weighted or averaged, and how qualitative feedback sways results. —

Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026 Look for a silhouette that has a little movement, like this wide-leg pair, for a cropped hemline that sways above loafers, sneakers, and ballet flats. —

Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026 That sways decisions from time-to-time. —

Mike Defabo, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026 Coogan stretches his massive wingspan and sways to the music as the on-air countdown ticks toward zero. —

Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sways

Noun

And nowhere are the effects of higher ACA premiums felt more than in Miami-Dade, which has the largest Obamacare enrollment population — more than 1 million last year, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — of any county in the nation.

— Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Though no studies have shown adverse effects from aluminum deodorants, natural deodorants sold to health-conscious consumers are generally aluminum-free.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026