as in throngs
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
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Recent Examples of hordes
Each booth offered a brief refuge from the hordes moving steadily through the aisles.
—
Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Only hordes of irate New York sports fans could have brokered that détente so quickly.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Where Game of Thrones the HBO series was a fantasy juggernaut with sweeping shots of warrior hordes and big twists, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is told from a single viewpoint as Sir Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg wander through Westeros while the Targaryen dynasty rules the Iron Throne.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
Theme parks use hordes of performers to bring their worlds to life.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
The boom spilled into credit markets as well, with firms only tangentially linked to defense attracting hordes of prospective lenders.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Bardot gave birth while trapped in her Paris apartment, outside of which hordes of photographers were camped awaiting the momentous event.
—Lee Smith, CNN Money, 28 Dec. 2025
Even Mount Fuji doubled its entry fee in March to curb the number of reckless hikers, and small towns put up 80-foot walls to stop hordes of tourists from taking photos of the country's tallest mountain.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
However, gunning down hordes of zombies, Nazis, demons, and whatnot with prejudice?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Only hordes of irate New York sports fans could have brokered that détente so quickly.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Where Game of Thrones the HBO series was a fantasy juggernaut with sweeping shots of warrior hordes and big twists, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is told from a single viewpoint as Sir Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg wander through Westeros while the Targaryen dynasty rules the Iron Throne.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
Theme parks use hordes of performers to bring their worlds to life.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
The boom spilled into credit markets as well, with firms only tangentially linked to defense attracting hordes of prospective lenders.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Bardot gave birth while trapped in her Paris apartment, outside of which hordes of photographers were camped awaiting the momentous event.
—Lee Smith, CNN Money, 28 Dec. 2025
Even Mount Fuji doubled its entry fee in March to curb the number of reckless hikers, and small towns put up 80-foot walls to stop hordes of tourists from taking photos of the country's tallest mountain.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
However, gunning down hordes of zombies, Nazis, demons, and whatnot with prejudice?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hordes
Noun
-
More than twenty‑five thousand people crowded into Shibe Park, including throngs of young people who made the gathering feel more like a festival than a political convention.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Tuesday marks 40 years since throngs of Chicagoans braved subzero wind chills to welcome home the Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The 236-foot former drug-runner ship Hilma Hooker offers one of the most impressive wreck dives in the region, though the vertical walls at The Cliff, vibrant reefs at Sweet Dreams, and swarms of sealife at Salt Pier are just as unforgettable.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Jan. 2026
-
The system uses several 50 kW industrial laser units to create a single powerful beam that kills drone swarms, cruise missiles, and fast-moving threats from a long distance.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In fact, some flocks overwinter as far north as Canada.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For a real birdwatching activity, fill a seed bag with thistle and watch flocks of them dart around the feeder and feast with fervor.—
Kier Holmes,
Martha Stewart,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For now, Telluride is open, the snow is skiing well, and crowds are thin.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Noise and crowds were replaced by the sounds of lapping waves and seagull cries.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hordes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hordes. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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