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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Down the road, a creamery churns out mozzarella from the estate’s water-buffalo herd, while gallons of prizewinning cider are cold-fermented in the cellar. — Issy Von Simson, Air Mail, 27 June 2026 Meanwhile, Tyreese is outsmarted by the Terminus Tiger Fan, who grabs baby Judith and threatens to snap her neck unless Tyreese walks unarmed into a herd of walkers outside. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
Verb
Just after midnight, guests were herded into Grainger Sky Theater with the promise of a surprise. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 In a sense that’s true, as rather than continually being reinvested in Destiny, the profits were used for bizarre projects like a sprawling HQ in the COVID era, or herded into too many other incubation projects. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 June 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
  • That year, as Fredriksen explains, a flock of them took up residence in Palm Beach County’s Stormwater Treatment Area 2 (STA-2), some 80 miles north of their traditional grounds in the Keys and the southern edges of the Everglades.
    — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2026
  • In a 2024 paper, the researchers reported that doctors from the best medical schools flock to the highest-paying specialties.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of flock
Noun
  • 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
  • Trump’s decision to deploy these soldiers has thoroughly spooked a populace that already distrusts the president.
    — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of populace
Noun
  • The funeral processions began last Saturday, with authorities shutting down streets, airspace and daily life in Tehran and other cities as throngs commemorated the man who led Iran for decades with an iron fist while confronting the West.
    — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • Egyptian fans in the 300 level of the stadium were outnumbered but felt brave enough to taunt the throngs of Argentines behind them.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • The latest in Houston Salgado Araujo, 52, was driving to work with three other construction crew members when unmarked vehicles carrying federal agents began following his van, his family said.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • When Fumi takes a job at Rin’s clinic planning to expose its darker side, their standoff drives the series, with the story more interested in what pushes people toward transformation than in the surgeries themselves.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 July 2026
Definition of drive
Noun
  • Tuesday’s game had a crowd at Sundance Square of a few hundred, with a strong mix between France and Spain fans.
    — Cal Phillips Updated July 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • The picture of Cardinals cool, Walker chased down Kyle Schwarber, shut up a rambunctious Philly crowd and introduced himself to a much wider baseball world.
    — Dan Gelston, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • Tehran has leaned on this asymmetric approach for decades, betting that a swarm of small, hard-to-detect boats can offset its lack of larger, more advanced submarines.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026
  • Less than two months later a swarm of earthquakes ripped along the ridge.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 8 July 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • His charm offensive, including moving to Rio and recalling Neymar, has also begun to win over a skeptical public, setting the stage for a crucial World Cup challenge.
    — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Harry and Meghan, who live in California, left Britain in 2020 after stepping back from royal life, and have since been involved in a long-running, public falling out with his family.
    — Max Foster, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Definition of public
Noun
  • The Trojans unquestioningly bring the horse, apparently a religious offering, within their city walls, only for a handful of Greek troops hidden inside, led by Odysseus, to open the gates, letting in a horde of warriors who lay waste to Troy.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
  • In videos obtained by Reuters, hordes of people can be seen scattering as the bulls approached them from behind.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 11 July 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 18 Jul. 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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