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
Each sculpture captures the shape and features of a real animal from a herd in southern India. — Goodluck Ajeh, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Aug. 2026 These herds continuously loop across the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania and the Maasai Mara in Kenya, driven by ancient instincts to follow seasonal rainfall and fresh grazing. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
As crews worked on the ground, a hardworking white sheepdog sprang into action, herding a nearby group of goats away from the landing area and helping keep the helicopter's path clear. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Max tells him to put it down, releasing Zack in exchange, then picks up the gun himself, herds all four Bowdens into the kitchen, and makes Natalie bind her parents' wrists with plastic restraints. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 31 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
  • So, what did Wild Florida look like before flocks of people made this place home base?
    — Candace Barone, Florida Times-Union, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Like swallows returning home, more than 100,000 Penn State faithful flock to the fields surrounding Beaver Stadium six times a fall.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 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
  • Recordings of Rajab’s call with paramedics gained international attention, driving calls for accountability for her killing and that of thousands of other children in Gaza.
    — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index, also released Friday, showed greater pessimism about the economy this month, likely driven by stubbornly high prices.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of drive
Noun
  • The team is playing to a smaller crowd and its matches are being streamed, not broadcast.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Forecasting tournaments and election markets have beaten their baselines, but no study has shown a crowd signal can be traded profitably at scale.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with long-range missiles and swarms of drones targeting military industries and energy facilities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Hundreds of thousands of collisions would happen every year, each unleashing its own swarm of hazardous, high-speed orbital shrapnel.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • Ukraine's drones have pummeled the giant depots belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online retailer, burning billions of dollars’ worth of merchandise and bringing the war home to the broad public.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Preconceptions, assumptions, and advance knowledge in the viewing public are regarded as impediments to the capacity of the tale to surprise, startle, or transport.
    — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Stop moving and a horde of desperate, violent strangers sprint from the woods to try to steal their car.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 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 22 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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