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

Relevance

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 The live action was filmed on a clear day, and so blizzard conditions and smoke, as well as the horde of infected, also needed to be composited into the shot. Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 1 June 2025 In the 1990s, hordes of families moved into new suburban housing communities. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025 The most demanding: an infected horde invading the townspeople of Jackson. Daron James, IndieWire, 27 May 2025 Now, Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks was presenting a vision where Buxton could be IndyCar’s lead voice and create a bridge to the horde of new F1 fans in the United States — many of whom were hooked by the same Netflix show that made Buxton so well known here. Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for horde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horde
Noun
  • The swarm to support his latest move marked the latest bit of whiplash across the MAGA ranks as they have been divided since the Saturday strikes.
    Al Weaver, The Hill, 25 June 2025
  • In another, a suspect was tackled to the pavement near a bench as a swarm of police closed in around him.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Two National Guard members were stationed outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, surrounded by a throng of reporters surveying the graffiti and aftermath of Tuesday night’s protest.
    Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
  • As European cities grapple with overtourism, many have implemented tax hikes on tourists in an effort to curb the throngs of visitors.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • The roar that came after his collision with Porto midfielder Ze Pedro on Thursday was deemed a foul belied the modest crowd of 31,783 inside the 72,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • Give it another year and operators are looking at a crowd of 37.7 million customers at the end of September 2026; one more trip around the sun further diminishes the count to around 33.3 million.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • There were live decoys trained to fly out and entice entire flocks of wild Canadas coming in from the upcountry breeding grounds.
    Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
  • All the life of the field startles and a flock of starlings flush holding the shape of the flames.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • He’s been trying really from the beginning to bring the 10 Black mob families together.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 June 2025
  • The driver was arrested for alleged vehicular assault as a mob formed and continued to slash more tires.
    Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Horde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horde. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on horde

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!