herd 1 of 2

noun

ˈhərd How to pronounce herd (audio)
Definition of herdnext
1
as in flock
a group of domestic animals assembled or herded together the great herds of cattle that cowboys once drove across the plains

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2
as in populace
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite aspire to achieve something, to distinguish yourself from the herd

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in throng
a great number of persons or things massed together gearing up for the herd of holiday shoppers at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving

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herd

2 of 2

verb

as in to drive
to urge, push, or force onward the guards briskly herded us through the museum in order to prevent overcrowding

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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 herd
Noun
Pictures of the Channel Islands in the 1980s, after an analogous period of protection from human and otter predation, show huge herds of black abalone, shell to shell, covering patches of the tidepool like floor tiling. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026 Their signature cattle, the Linz Heritage Angus (LHA) Herd, has its breed stock at Blue Branch Ranch in Oklahoma and is known for producing top-quality beef that can be traced back to its herd origins. — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 28 July 2026
Verb
The few survivors found work herding and skinning the cattle that had overrun their former hunting grounds. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026 Other cooperative strategies include herding mobile rays, blocking an escape path while hunting white sharks, and deliberately producing waves to bump penguins off ice floes. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for herd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herd
  1. flock
  2. populace
  3. throng
  4. drive
  5. crowd
  6. swarm
  7. public
  8. horde
Noun
  • The only states not reporting a salmonella outbreak related to backyard flocks are South Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona, Delaware, Rhode Island and Hawaii.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Black sheep can mean many things, several relevant to politics, the ultimate game of finding a place in the flock.
    — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of flock
Noun
  • This is where the irrationality of antisemitic conspiracy gains no purchase among a reasoning and pragmatic populace; where government is led by people who grasp, and embrace, the seriousness of their responsibilities.
    — Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Since the 1700s, Jamaica’s populace has been dominated by the descendants of African slaves.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of populace
Noun
  • The defendant and his legal team declined to speak with a throng of reporters outside the courthouse.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Right in the middle of cheering, reveling masses was MARTA — a connective system of veins that efficiently moved the happy throngs.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • The project, which is expected to take two years, has brought construction noise, dust and the loss of nearby parking spaces, all of which merchants say have driven customers away.
    — Maddie White, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • This heat drives the park’s geysers and hot springs while producing frequent earthquakes and gradual changes in the ground.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of drive
Noun
  • And the jeers that White received from the home crowd at the end of pregame introductions might have spurred energy from the Fever players before and after the tilt.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The second attempt in March 2021 succeeded, with images showing crowds that had gathered to witness the launch.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • As these dense swarms drift into coastal waters, intake pumps pull them directly into the cooling machinery.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • There is a swarm of people gathered in Jordan Roth’s studio for a couture fitting.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • The barrage has caused fuel shortages in Russia, eaten into Russian refining capacity, and unsettled the Russian public.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • His early memories center on 2005’s Axis of Evil tour, during which Ahmed Ahmed, Maz Jobrani, Aron Kader, and Dean Obeidallah set out to contend with an American public still living under the cloud of the World Trade Center attack.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • The Hitlerite hordes are murdering and outraging the peaceful inhabitants of our country, having no mercy on women, children or old people.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Just weeks ago, Colombian-Mexican restaurant Paisa MX welcomed hordes of World Cup spectators.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of horde

Phrases Containing herd

Browse Nearby Words

herculean
herd
herded
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Cite this Entry

“Herd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herd. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on herd

Nglish: Translation of herd for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about herd

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