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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 herd
Noun
Candid Health cofounder Doug Proctor spun his laptop around to show me a herd of wild horses grazing behind him in upstate New York during our first Zoom call. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 22 July 2026 Sit outside your ger and watch daily life unfold as herds of horses, goats, and sheep gather at a nearby well. — Undraa Buyannemekh, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026
Verb
Best of all, there are no kids to try to herd towards the dinner table. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 July 2026 Horseback riding in the gentle meadows and stunning mountains is the main event here, but there is plenty to do beyond that— hiking, river tubing, board games, herding cattle, hayrides, the list goes on. — Condé Nast Traveler, 7 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
  • Apertura was among the flock of investors, trading houses, and oil and gas companies at the event.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The last shepherds who tended their flocks while walking on stilts disappeared.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 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
  • 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
  • That was illustrated by the massive media throng surrounding Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, just one table away from where Whittingham spoke to a slightly smaller crowd.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • Other experts say that unless Japan addresses the structural forces driving the weakness in yen, the intervention's effects are likely to be short-lived.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Both have driven over 20B minutes of viewership on streaming platforms from January through June.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of drive
Noun
  • While many teams boast capacity crowds, MLS needs to boost its streaming ratings.
    — Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But as demonstrations attracted larger crowds, the government was forced to acknowledge them and respond to their growing influence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • Nature evolved swarm intelligence in species like bees and fish.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The band quits when the director releases a swarm of bees onto the set (the original clip featured dogs), only to be replaced by look-alikes.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • Its nod to the heat, humidity and congestion of summer days, and to the cool air, darkness and freedom of summer nights emotionally resonated with the music-buying public.
    — Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Ween released 12 Golden Country Greats in the summer of 1996 to a public primed for a prank.
    — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • The president also frequently recounts that hordes of women, including journalists, Cabinet members and administration officials, used to complain to him about their high heels getting stuck in the mud in the old, grassy Rose Garden.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Video from Hilton’s neighborhood taken by NBC South Florida showed a horde of sheriff’s patrol vehicles along a street blocked off by yellow tape amid the response.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of horde

Phrases Containing herd

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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 8 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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