Synonyms of horde

horde

noun

ˈhȯrd 

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

• swarm
• throng
• crowd
• flock
• mob
• legion
• multitude
• army
• herd
• mass
• masses
• host
• rout
• crush
• press
• bike
• drove
• millions
• scrum
• cram
• rabble
• gaggle
• pile
• mountain
• heap
• riffraff
• rabblement
• jam
• logjam

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

Recent Examples of horde

The report describes aggressive tactics in which hordes of solicitors sit on the phones all day, calling people to get them to refinance. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Paris ransacked, looted, and set ablaze by hordes of rioters. — Ollivier Pourriol, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026

And, of course, anyone who remembers the optimistic hordes streaming up Michigan Avenue after Barack Obama made his victory speech for president of the United States in Grant Park well knows the local benefits of a Chicagoan assuming the presidency. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

The night before, amid the horde at the opening of Thaddaeus Ropac’s Georg Baselitz show, actor Damian Lewis was sizing up the big canvases. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026