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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It's become a buzzword lobbed at bad bosses and ex-boyfriends, and leaders across the political spectrum.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026 -
At the airport, their respective boyfriends Jesse and Oliver show up to see them off.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 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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This cozy getaway is designed for vintage lovers and hygge seekers—and is almost guaranteed to make it onto your Instagram feed.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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The event, which was started by the city but is now run by Red Rock 4-Wheelers, gives 4×4 lovers a chance to responsibly drive on trails through one of the most beautiful natural settings in the country.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Two teenage boys who used artificial intelligence to create fake nude photos of their classmates at a tony private school in Pennsylvania received probation Wednesday after dozens of victims described the images’ traumatizing effect on them.—
Mark Scolforo,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
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Though their are limits to Ray’s concern for his boys, and by the end of the movie, their experiences don’t transform them as much as confirm their confidences and assumptions.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There’s a whole legion of other family members and potential suitors to join the Forsyte clan, too, of course.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2026
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The conversation heightened Hardaway’s temptation to pick Denver among a handful of suitors in free agency.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This year’s batch of fellows submitted pitches that included two set in Texas, one in heat of Phoenix and another in the cold of Iceland, and another surrounding the birth of Bitcoin.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2026
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The first ten curatorial fellows to participate in the program include Carine Harmand, who will be curating exhibitions for the reopening of Tate Liverpool in 2027.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Arnold's name was first brought up in the case after 23-year-old Boakai Hilton, who is believed to be an associate of Arnold, Arianna Del Valle, Jasmine Randazzo, Christion Williams, Lyndell Hudson and Freddie Hughes were arrested for allegedly kidnapping three men and assaulting them.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Recordings of the three men being interrogated provide the basis for flashbacks, and scenes set in Tehran’s artistic beau monde of the late sixties show the aftermath of their adventures.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Swains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swains. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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