Thesaurus results for HORDE

Q: How does the noun 'horde' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of horde are crowd , crush , mob , and throng . While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," throng and horde suggest movement and pushing. // a throng of reporters // a horde of shoppers

Q: When is it sensible to use 'crowd' instead of 'horde'?

The synonyms crowd and horde are sometimes interchangeable, but crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together. // a crowd gathered

Q: When might 'crush' be a better fit than 'horde'?

The words crush and horde can be used in similar contexts, but crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort. // a crush of fans

Q: When can 'mob' be used instead of 'horde'?

The meanings of mob and horde largely overlap; however, mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence. // an angry mob

horde

noun

ˈhȯrd

Definition of horde

as in swarm

a great number of persons or creatures massed together a horde of mosquitoes hordes of tourists from the cruise ship crowded the shops and cafes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun horde differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of horde are crowd, crush, mob, and throng. While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters

a horde of shoppers

When is it sensible to use crowd instead of horde?

The synonyms crowd and horde are sometimes interchangeable, but crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

When might crush be a better fit than horde?

The words crush and horde can be used in similar contexts, but crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

When can mob be used instead of horde?

The meanings of mob and horde largely overlap; however, mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

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 horde By then, hordes of evacuees from the North Tower were walking north on Sixth Avenue to escape the terror. — Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026 In 1935, Rubin Stacy, a Black farmworker, was lynched as a horde of white onlookers stood by. — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2026 Magic shows and jousts draw hordes of festival-goers, with performers and some visitors wearing period clothing. — Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 6 Sep. 2026 His throw to Jordan Allen was the best yet, with a scramble to get away from a horde of defenders, then composing himself and finding Allen in the middle of the field for a 23-yard gain, giving the Jackets first-and-goal. — AJC.com, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horde

Recent Examples of Synonyms for horde

Noun

This comes as the war in Ukraine has already seen widespread deployment of such uncrewed surface vessels in combat, along with swarms of flying attack drones and ground robots.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Patrick testified and found himself at the center of an online swarm of sleuths and influencers dissecting every detail of the case, developing theories that portray him as uncaring, unfaithful and even the murderer of his children.

— Ross Douthat, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of swarm

Noun

With her high heels, bright smile, and entourage of millennial assistants and executives, Terekh stands out in her factory, where throngs of middle-aged men lug drone parts, wield power tools and chain-smoke cigarettes.

— Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Over the past few days, the people at the front of the lines have gradually moved closer and closer to the courtroom, to the point where the doors can barely open without bumping into a throng of people.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of throng

Noun

The small park in front of the adobe-looking Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was packed on a Friday night with an all-ages crowd listening to live music.

— David G. Allan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Law enforcement was present along with a crowd of about a hundred protesters.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of crowd

Noun

In contrast to his father, the younger Jeffs enforced stricter regulations for his flock to follow.

— Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
Already, in South Africa, an ostrich flock that survives bird flu would only be quarantined and rigorously tested for reinfection, not slaughtered.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of flock

Noun

Of these three films, The Uprising is admittedly the least heist-explicit; Paul Greengrass’s shaky cam mostly follows marching mobs lambasting the king and furious revolts against soldiers and tax collectors.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
Those gross mob-style pile-on tendencies are unhelpful and will not lead to meaningful dialog or even results.

— Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of mob

Articles Related to horde

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“Horde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horde. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of horde

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