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

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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
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 Ranchers have been downsizing their herd sizes over the last seven or eight years for a whole variety of reasons. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Verb
Irish and Scottish laborers moved to the West to work on railroads, while Mexican vaqueros herded cattle on the open range. — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Cattle are herded in a stable on June 05, 2026 in Hamilton, Texas. — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 2 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
  • These unique-looking sharks flock to the shallow sand flats of the islands from November through April.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 26 July 2026
  • Every year, longtime Ghibli fans as well as new, little ones, flock to cinemas.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of flock
Noun
  • Unbeknownst to the visitors, there’s an unhappy fifth party already in the house… and more than one homicidal maniac even within that small populace.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 July 2026
  • Their past two victories against Switzerland and Egypt came with the help of controversial calls that had the soccer-watching populace buzzing about potential favoritism toward Argentina.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of populace
Noun
  • These friends describe a large party on Horn Island, which is a favorite gathering spot in the summer, with throngs of people spread out in the sun and surf and around numerous boats, some of them drinking in water known to be deep and dangerous.
    — Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
  • Just Friday, a member of the Blue Angels, the Navy’s flight-demonstration team, buzzed Pensacola Beach at extremely low altitude and a high angle of bank, close to throngs of spectators.
    — Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • To prevent speculation that drives up land price without actual construction, the zoning benefits would be granted only on submission of building-permit applications.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Real estate has always been driven by connections between buyers and sellers.
    — Heartland MLS®, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Definition of drive
Noun
  • By evening, crowds overflowed outside the site and spilled onto the streets and lanes.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • The Tesla Diner is one year old as crowds lined up to charge at the highest-usage Supercharger in the world.
    — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • The swarms of flies that roamed the planet like a devouring fog enclosed the top of the tower, building new, shivering walls, buzzing in a frenzy of life and hunger.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 July 2026
  • The bright light attracts massive swarms of flying insects, chased by birds, which unwittingly get instantly vaporized mid-air by the invisible, high-temperature beams.
    — Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • Both the Mexican government and public are highly sensitive to interference from a neighbor that annexed more than half their territory in the 1800s.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • After all, this wasn’t just the typical NHL homecoming, where a struggling team trots out a former player to buy some time with a skeptical public.
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • This is a real neighborhood with authentic shops and restaurants, removed from the hordes of tourists near the Duomo.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • That year, the number of possible points had changed from two hundred to four hundred, and the newspapers reported that this test had slaughtered hordes of top students.
    — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 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 1 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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