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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Other types of suspects included mothers’ boyfriends, babysitters, stepparents or other relatives.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026 -
But there was still plenty for lovers of M/M — like Spangel (Spike/Angel), which took out the middlewoman and had the vampire boyfriends smooch each other.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
Noun
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For the extreme chocolate lovers in your life, this cookie is their dream.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
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Many animal lovers have pet dogs or cats.—
Bailey Allen,
Cape Cod Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The drunk boys urinated on the property, threw up in the backyard and stumbled and fell on the patio, the documents state.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Wishing a happy basketball retirement to the legend James Hartry, who’s hanging it up as Tucker High’s boys coach after 26 years and a playoff loss to Cambridge.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Fields was among his suitors, but but set a high bar, based on his experience recruiting South Africans.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
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In a letter to shareholders accompanying the fourth quarter and full-year financials, WBD vaguely reiterated the latest in the two-suitors, one-deal situation.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The impact of this approach can be seen in several initiatives that have emerged through fellows’ work across South Carolina.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
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Those with a telescope will even be able to glimpse our two farthest celestial fellows, Neptune and Uranus.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Across 50 episodes, Anderson unpacked everything from why gay men prefer iced coffee to whether bottoms would survive the apocalypse (the answer is yes).—
Jessica Lipsky,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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This is a harsher version of Rooster’s insistence that anyone can be rehabilitated, one that acknowledges that some damage is irreparable, and that the people who benefit from infinite patience and forgiveness are usually men of privilege.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Swains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swains. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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