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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swains
Noun
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There will be times when too much time on my hands leads to nonsense, like deep character dives on Instagram regarding the wives of ex-boyfriends.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026 -
Kendall Jenner stars in a new Fanatics Sportsbook ad that sees her poking fun at some of her ex-boyfriends.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After all, when lovers of the cosmos come together in this Earth sign, tradition, courtship and long-term commitment take precedence over fleeting chemistry.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The cafe’s signature coconut latte is a great way to beat the heat and a must for coconut lovers.—
Arundhati Hazra,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This kid wasn’t one of her cousin’s lookout boys or some little man making a score for his momma.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
His boys became obsessed with Spurs at a young age, leading McIntyre to start going to away matches and on pre-season tours in the early 2010s.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There may have been some male suitors but never any who were gangsters.—
Nathan Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This being an aggravation of the previous injury could scare off even more potential suitors.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The brunch also shone a spotlight on the fellows of the ReFrame Rise program, a fellowship co-founded by WIF and Sundance Institute that supports 10 mid-career directors and cinematographers, all of whom were present at the event.—
Dominique Fluker,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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An index card slipped from its fellows and fell to the ground.—
Nell Freudenberger,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Furthermore, there is Spain’s Finalissima duel against Lionel Messi’s Argentina to think about in March for both men, as well as staying fit to make Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup squad.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The nine-member jury -- seven women and two men -- began deliberating Wednesday afternoon.—
DAN MORSE THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
23 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Swains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swains. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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