herds 1 of 2

Definition of herdsnext
plural of herd

herds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of herd
as in drives
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 herds
Noun
Elsewhere, herds of goats are used to naturally manage undergrowth across the estate’s forests, helping reduce fire risk in the region’s increasingly dry climate. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 May 2026 The event evolved from typical ranch work; cattle herds are often separated into pens for veterinary needs or transport. Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 Settler shepherds on donkeys lead their herds across the open hills in scenes that closely resemble Palestinian herding routines, which were once common in the same areas. Irus Braverman, The Conversation, 27 Apr. 2026 That difference compounds relentlessly over generations, giving the invasive species a demographic edge that bighorn herds simply cannot match. Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026 The park is an Unesco Biosphere and is known for its large herds of roaming elephants, which families can observe during game drives. Jessica Puckett, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026 Here, nomadic families still move across the plains with their herds of yak and sheep, and concrete-and-steel settlements are few and far in between. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026 This time of year, as calves arrive, ranchers decide whether to retain young cows called heifers and calves for breeding herds, and a big factor is pasture conditions, said Bernt Nelson, an American Farm Bureau Federation economist. ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026 The contract has jumped more than 25% over the past 12 months as ranchers faced rising costs and slashed the size of herds. Alex Harring, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
However, one quick look at what companies like Boston Dynamics has achieved with robots like the rather creepy dog-like ‘Spot,’ who herds sheep in New Zealand, and the possibilities seem endless. Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herds
Noun
  • The album, which of course features flocks of pigeons on the cover, boasts a tighter, fuller sound than previous releases, thanks in part to production by Kenneth Blume (Geese, Idles) and Klas Åhlund (Iggy Pop, Katy Perry).
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
  • Storms are also very structured and denser than flocks of birds.
    Marta Hill, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Most often, quake swarms are caused by fluids — typically water — interacting with fault lines, the federal agency said.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
  • Russian officials have not identified the source of the drones, but Russia’s defense ministry has ascribed other drone swarms in the Arkhangelsk region to Ukraine.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • In confident markets, industrial demand drives silver’s price, Anya-Gafu says.
    Sharon Wu, USA Today, 14 May 2026
  • Criminalizing hemp and marijuana drives the black market and helps the cartels, not the people.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • In general, juvenile crimes are more often committed with others, and images of roaming throngs of teens has an outsized presence in media and in the public’s amygdala.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
  • Leo was met by throngs of cheering Italians, some of whom had been waiting since the middle of the night to greet him.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • Locations like Tarifa, Cádiz and inland hill towns offer expansive views and long totality, though with the likelihood of heavy crowds.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 May 2026
  • Marketers will rush to put down dollars on programs that can still draw large crowds all tuning in at once, says one media buying executive.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • Mikael Granlund’s goal was an unfortunate hop, and the third goal, which was scored by Ian Moore, was a wobbling slap shot through hordes of traffic.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 12 May 2026
  • Through the project, hordes of people were confronted with the biases of facial recognition technology for the first time.
    Louis Bury, ARTnews.com, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • European publics are less diplomatic.
    Ivan Krastev, Time, 21 Jan. 2026
  • National and international publics relate directly to these leaders, who set the tone for international relations with their actions, their statements, and their preferences.
    MICHAEL KIMMAGE, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • The public scares me, mobs scare me.
    Liz McNeil, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
  • Just days earlier, mobs of young street racers swarmed a Georgia intersection in the middle of the night, wreaking havoc and disturbing neighbors.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Herds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herds. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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