swains

noun

plural of swain
1
as in boyfriends
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 wooers
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

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 swains 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swains
  1. boyfriends
  2. lovers
  3. beaux
  4. suitors
  5. boys
  6. fellows
  7. men
Noun
  • She’s also joined by a range of boyfriends, with shoppers being able to pick one that has traditionally light or dark features.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
  • There’s nothing like two boyfriends to do it for you every time.
    — Steve Wasserman, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of boyfriends
Noun
  • This $200 price cut lowers the barrier to entry for flagship-tier processing, giving movie lovers, sports fans, and console gamers a rare chance to capture real-world colors and cinematic picture without the standard retail price strain.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Likewise, the Breitling Top Time was introduced in the 1960s, and became a favorite of youthful, active, hip watch lovers.
    — Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of lovers
Noun
  • So are their girlfriends and wives, who support their beaus in stadiums and at home.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Despite some very not-so-subtle hints from yours truly, my past beaus have never gifted me a handbag on Valentine’s Day, either.
    — Michelle Baricevic, InStyle, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of beaux
Noun
  • Meanwhile, her two former suitors became rather close after spending a considerable amount of time as rivals.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But the idea that really a violation of xenia, a violation of Zeus’ Law — which is what the suitors are doing in the palace — that really is the [breaking] of Zeus’ Law that is causing this difficulty and this damage.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of suitors
Noun
  • The 13-year-old previously attended Lambrook School, Windsor, alongside his brother and sister but will now follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle, Prince Harry, at the prestigious all-boys boarding school.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Protesters and volunteer medics pull the two boys out of the car and try to treat their wounds.
    — Sydney Brownstone, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of boys
Noun
  • Handy said the center also relied on a $25,000 private donation to fund its summer undergraduate fellows program.
    — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
  • Its first cohort will include 12 fellows, who will receive a one-time $10,000 grant.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of fellows
Noun
  • Thursday’s best performances spread the entire field, with six different men leading the six individual apparatus races.
    — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Three men in their 70s were slightly injured — two of them were caught in the wind and a third one fell from a stool, apparently blown off by the wind while preparing for the storm, the Okinawa prefecture said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of men

Browse Nearby Words

swain
swains
swale
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Cite this Entry

“Swains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swains. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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