droves

noun

plural of drove
1
as in throngs
a great number of persons or creatures massed together people flocked to the annual festival in droves

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in flocks
a group of domestic animals assembled or herded together a drove of cattle

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 droves Earlier this summer, Google’s Debug program made headlines by applying to the EPA for permits to release droves of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes across California and Florida. — New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2026 At a time of massive industry upheaval, most observers believe that the company will have to lay off droves of workers to bring its costs down. — Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026 The two films, directed by 20-something-year-olds who came from YouTube, exploded all box-office expectations while ushering in droves of Gen Z audiences back to cinemas. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026 These major metropolitan areas have strong housing markets, with droves of wealthier buyers keeping housing supplies in those areas low. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026 Feathers and florals came in droves with this latest collection, appearing on everything from boudoir-style dresses and wraps to red-carpet-ready pieces like the one Miller wore on Tuesday night in New York City. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 When promoter Live Nation couldn’t keep up with the droves of ticketbuyers, a second show on Sunday was added. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026 Voters are abandoning the CDU –– the mainstream conservative party of Angela Merkel and Konrad Adenauer –– in their droves in favour of the fringes, most notably the far-right, pro-Russia and anti-migration Alternative for Germany (AfD). — Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026 This game, at the Hall of Fame Showcase, will bring droves of national media to revisit the Auriemma-Dawn Staley argument from the last Final Four, when South Carolina swamped the Huskies and ended hope for another title and undefeated season. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for droves
  1. throngs
  2. flocks
  3. swarms
  4. hordes
  5. crowds
Noun
  • Leo's visit to Paris came as a birthday present for Jean-Claude Farnabe, who turned 63 on Saturday and spent the morning securing a spot amid the throngs of people.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The cows made their way to the altar — with the handlers helping to guide them with hay — through throngs of people and a few mascots sitting in seats and lined up on the streets, who stopped by just to see the unique occasion.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of throngs
Noun
  • This summer, a mosquito control company based in Silver Spring, Maryland, began introducing flocks of infertile male mosquitos in residential communities to prevent eggs from hatching.
    — Angie Orellana Hernandez, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Kramer thanked YouTube native Parsons for his film Backroom, which helped energize young audiences, and also noted how the youth demographic flocks to Academy screenings of classic cinema.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of flocks
Noun
  • Underwater swarms gain ground The record arrives as militaries increasingly explore uncrewed systems for operations across air, land and water.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The allied soldiers performed well in a scenario that mimicked previous conflicts with limited air threats, but their systems were not designed for the large drone swarms of modern combat.
    — Dan Driscoll, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of swarms
Noun
  • The twentieth century industrialized advisory through hordes of ambitious young graduates and an apprenticeship model that allowed advice to be sold by those with much less viabexperience.
    — Albert Mikkelsen, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Outside of Hotel Chelsea, hordes of fans greeted this season’s cast, who have made the long-running series a cult favorite.
    — Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of hordes
Noun
  • Faraway Sag Harbor began welcoming guests in June 2026, just in time for peak Hamptons crowds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • As the November election draws closer, Democratic candidates are attracting impressive crowds.
    — Kim Chandler, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of crowds

Browse Nearby Words

drovers
droves
drown
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Cite this Entry

“Droves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/droves. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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