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
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
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Most of the smashing is done by Tamburlaine, a Scythian shepherd by birth, who rises to the peaks of power, lays waste to one kingdom after another, and has the temerity, at the climax of Part 1, not to die.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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The occurrences grew more aggressive over time, with the Smurls' 75-pound German shepherd getting slammed into a wall and Jack getting attacked while praying.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For the past few weeks, he’s been embroiled in a back-and-forth feud with cowboy singer Charley Crockett.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
13 Sep. 2025
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The pair showed off their playful side by dressing as ninjas for a Halloween Instagram post in 2023 and later decked out in cowboy-and-cowgirl outfits to celebrate her birthday in 2024.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The world’s largest underground, iron-ore mine has forced the village’s herders to lead their reindeer through a longer and harder migration route.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
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Dog sledding across frozen landscapes is a classic experience, while reindeer safaris often include the chance to meet Sami herders and learn about their culture.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herdsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herdsman. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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