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
Its official designation stems from the simple fact that its radiant — the point from which its meteors appear to approach Earth — is situated in the constellation Bootes, the herdsman, which can be found above the western horizon in late June.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 27 June 2025
Softly came the sound of a Toda herdsman calling to his buffaloes.
—Cyril E. Holland, Outdoor Life, 8 May 2025
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
Even as the country became Buddhist in the 16th century, the herdsmen found solace in its reassuring rituals and its promise of contact with the spirit world.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for herdsman
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 27 June 2025
Softly came the sound of a Toda herdsman calling to his buffaloes.
—Cyril E. Holland, Outdoor Life, 8 May 2025
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
Even as the country became Buddhist in the 16th century, the herdsmen found solace in its reassuring rituals and its promise of contact with the spirit world.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for herdsman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herdsman
Noun
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Winter Annual Weeds Henbit, chickweed, and shepherd’s purse are common winter annual weeds.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Garvin’s dog, Cooper, an Australian shepherd, is a kind of mascot for the store.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Set in the small town of Kharkams, in South Africa’s mountainous Kamiesberg region, the film follows an elderly goat herder, Hettie, who falls victim to a scam promising long-overdue reparations for her father’s WWII service.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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The topography, weather, cultures and other factors were drastically distinct from Old World norms, so managing cattle required something beyond the skill sets of Andalusian herders.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Typically set in the mid-to-late-1800s on the American frontier, these films often feature characters who make their own rules, from bounty hunters and cowboys to outlaws in lawless territories.—
Sezin Devi Keohler,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
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Chandler plays Hal Jordan, a former hotshot jet pilot and current cowboy cop Green Lantern.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Herdsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herdsman. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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