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
-
Germany’s Beta Film confirmed production has begun on Rex – Vienna Calling, a six-part, feature-length revival of Beta’s iconic cop-and-dog series Rex, which will bring the titular German shepherd back to his original beat in Austria’s capital.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Within the last 30 years, the German shepherd Rex has become the ultimate four-legged detective and a worldwide phenomenon, inspiring numerous international adaptations, which add up to a total of 750 episodes.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Blackhawks were torn on whether to take the cowboy defenseman or the flashy forward with the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, and ultimately settled on Levshunov.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Indeed, shortly after the 2016 historical drama Hidden Figures — in which Costner played neither a cowboy nor a water-faring mutant but a NASA scientist — the actor landed that rarest of opportunities in Hollywood, a shot at redemption.—
Peter Kiefer,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In total about 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 guides, yak herders and other workers who were stranded, have all reached safety, China’s state news agency Xinhua reported.—
Kaijing Xiao,
ABC News,
12 Oct. 2025
-
About 900 people, among them hikers, guides, yak herders and other workers were trapped in campsites amid the severe snowstorm — which came during China's eight-day Golden Week holiday.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Herdsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herdsman. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share