as in shepherd
a tender of livestock
a lone herdsman stood with his sheep and his dog on the hillside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 herdsman
Masud was celebrated as the literary voice of greater Arabia’s nomadic herdsmen—proud sons of the desert, a noble caste of unhurried sybarites not known for their religious orthodoxy.
—
Nell Zink, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
In 1997, Thimphu told Beijing that Tibetan herdsmen had been intruding into the Jakarlung valley and even constructed sheds there, according to Bhutan’s National Assembly records cited by Barnett.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Unlike the Islamic extremists that staged the Chibok kidnappings, the deadly criminal gangs terrorizing villages in northwestern Nigeria are mostly former herdsmen who were in conflict with farming host communities, according to authorities.
—Chinedu Asadu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2024
Moreover, an annual migration of people and cattle that regularly leads to tension between nomadic herdsmen and the area's year-round residents recently began.
—Rebecca Hamilton, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2011
See All Example Sentences for herdsman
Nell Zink, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
In 1997, Thimphu told Beijing that Tibetan herdsmen had been intruding into the Jakarlung valley and even constructed sheds there, according to Bhutan’s National Assembly records cited by Barnett.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Unlike the Islamic extremists that staged the Chibok kidnappings, the deadly criminal gangs terrorizing villages in northwestern Nigeria are mostly former herdsmen who were in conflict with farming host communities, according to authorities.
—Chinedu Asadu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2024
Moreover, an annual migration of people and cattle that regularly leads to tension between nomadic herdsmen and the area's year-round residents recently began.
—Rebecca Hamilton, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2011
See All Example Sentences for herdsman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herdsman
Noun
-
But Schwarber was brought here to shepherd winning baseball; the Phillies have reached October for a fourth consecutive time.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Thomas grabbed her husband’s ashes and some cash before trying to rescue her German shepherd, Storm, her companion of more than six years.—
Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Entre Charros experience is like no other, offering a window into the iconic lifestyle of the Mexican cowboy, complete with a lesson in roping on horseback.—
David Shortell,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Since my last trip, the Howard County district attorney had dismissed the cattle-rustling charges against Skeet, Leroy Medlin, and the other cowboys.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The film blends documentary and fiction to tell the dramatic and heartrending story of Mongolian herders Davaasuren Dagvasuren and Otgonzaya Dashzeveg’s difficult decision to leave their homelands after the arrival of a powerful and destructive sandstorm.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Real-life herders Davaasuren Dagvasuren and Otgonzaya Dashzeveg star in the film while also serving as co-writers alongside Brady.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herdsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herdsman. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share