as in shepherd
a tender of livestock
a lone herdsman stood with his sheep and his dog on the hillside
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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
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
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
How to find Arcturus: Located in the northern constellation Boötes, the herdsman, the star can be seen from spring to fall in the United States.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for herdsman
Nell Zink, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
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
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
How to find Arcturus: Located in the northern constellation Boötes, the herdsman, the star can be seen from spring to fall in the United States.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for herdsman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herdsman
Noun
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Age-old traditions endure, like cantu a tenore–traditional shepherds’ songs–recognized on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.—
Alexandra Kirkman,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Their two dogs, German shepherds Meeko and Sona, a father-daughter duo, did not survive the blaze.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Elvis as a cowboy, a soldier, a surfer in nothing but his shorts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
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There are also fantastic roles to play, like pirates, knights, cowboys, spies, princesses and mermaids.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Marbled cat hides have been found with tribal hunters in other regions of India, researchers said, but the farmers and herders questioned about the recent sightings said poaching and ritualistic hunting haven’t been taking place around Kakoi Reserve Forest, according to the study.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
28 July 2025
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In many disputes, farmers accuse herders of grazing on their land and destroying crops; herders in turn blame communities and criminals of stealing cattle.—
Emmanuel Akinwotu,
NPR,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herdsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herdsman. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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