1
as in boyfriend
a male romantic companion
a romanticized portrait of a bygone era of beauteous Southern belles and their gallant swains
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in lover
a man who courts a woman usually with the goal of marrying her
Grandma claims that she had several swains pursuing her, but it was only Grandpa who won her heart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swain
Justyn Gonzalez and Alexandra Young share enjoyable comedy charm as a fumbling swain and the snappy-retorting object of his affections.
—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
12 May 2026
Between the romantic fantasy of Anna and her two swains, the swoony Tuscan locales bathed in creamy golden light, and the tomatoes, You, Me & Tuscany delivers everything its title promises.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
10 Apr. 2026
As the two lovers, Robin Wright as the comely princess and Cary Elwes as her loving swain are engaging and appealing.
—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
But in the new film, the unnamed swain has been replaced by a Robin Hood-style heartthrob named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a defiant group of bandits that steals from the monarchy and gives to the poor.
—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
Science emerges as a version of the pastoral, with the physicist as swain.
—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2024
Odette is a shape-shifter, from woman to swan, under sorcerer Rothbart’s spell, only to be broken when a swain pledges true love to her—Siegfried to the rescue.
—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2024
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
12 May 2026
Between the romantic fantasy of Anna and her two swains, the swoony Tuscan locales bathed in creamy golden light, and the tomatoes, You, Me & Tuscany delivers everything its title promises.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
10 Apr. 2026
As the two lovers, Robin Wright as the comely princess and Cary Elwes as her loving swain are engaging and appealing.
—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
But in the new film, the unnamed swain has been replaced by a Robin Hood-style heartthrob named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a defiant group of bandits that steals from the monarchy and gives to the poor.
—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
Science emerges as a version of the pastoral, with the physicist as swain.
—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2024
Odette is a shape-shifter, from woman to swan, under sorcerer Rothbart’s spell, only to be broken when a swain pledges true love to her—Siegfried to the rescue.
—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swain
Noun
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Walker was abducted, raped, tortured and murdered after attending a Valentine’s Day dance with her boyfriend.
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Kravitz has been linked with onetime Swift boyfriend Harry Styles, who is currently in London on his Together, Together tour.
Noun
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Lindsay's sister Nicole (Christy Carlson Romano) seems to be the first to notice the enemies-to-lovers sparks flying, especially as Philip slips a sparkly shoe onto Lindsey's foot.
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The track went viral on TikTok earlier this year, with longtime lovers of the musician remembering the hit, while younger fans may have discovered it for the first time.
Noun
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Page Six also caught Swift besties Ashley Avignone and Gigi Hadid, as well as Hadid's beau, Bradley Cooper, en route from the model's Manhattan apartment.
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After a year apart, Bruss moved back to Los Angeles to be with her beau and the rest was history.
Noun
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The Heat, which recently signed Giannis Antetokounmpo, could pair the power forward with James, and is seen as a potential suitor given James’ familiarity with the franchise.
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Her suitor, Arnold, brings a full-size metal detector to comb the beach in Greece for treasure.
Noun
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The Nationals’ Youth Baseball Academy in Southeast, a staple since 2013, is a wonderful venue for both boys’ baseball teams in middle and high schools, and for girls’ softball teams.
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One boy, 12, succumbed to the heat and passed out, with EMS medics and police rushing to help him, according to PIX 11.
Noun
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Dioz is among the many small businesses across Los Angeles that are getting a boost from the global sporting event, said Kevin Klowden, a senior fellow at the Milken Institute.
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After losing their cattle to disease, the two joined fellow rancher Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening), initially a major adversary, and her 10 Petal Ranch.
Noun
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Witnesses expressed shock over the incident, with one man arriving to his Walmart to shop and finding the parking lot covered in crime scene tape.
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But some have faced pushback, including when two Boise men faced the wrath of their homeowners association for replacing their grass with turf, in part to save water.
Cite this Entry
“Swain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swain. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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