swarm 1 of 3

noun

ˈswȯrm How to pronounce swarm (audio)
Definition of swarmnext
as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together a swarm of tourists descends upon the island every summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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swarm

2 of 3

verb (1)

1
as in to flock
to move upon or fill (something) in great numbers meeting little resistance, the pirates swarmed the decks of the merchant ship

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied at this time of year that Mexican resort swarms with college students on spring break

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

swarm

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to climb
to move (as up or over something) often with the help of the hands in holding or pulling one of the physical challenges had competitors swarming over a pile of logs

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 swarm
Noun
The best scene is likely when the swarm of rats first comes to town, played up for maximum creepiness. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 Every wedding, every cherry blossom season in Japan, every birth, reactor accidents too, swarms of insects, kittens playing with woolen balls, people disfigured by war, palm trees at sunset—five billion photos a day. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Verb
In the winter of 2021-22, the western monarch community experienced a surge of relief as butterflies once again swarmed to the pine and eucalyptus groves. — Literary Hub, 15 July 2026 Going into the match, images of Immigration and Customs Enforcement swarming neighborhoods, Home Depot parking lots and car washes were fresh on the minds of many. — Alfredo Corchado, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for swarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarm
  1. throng
  2. flock
  3. burst
  4. climb
  5. crowd
  6. buzz
  7. scramble
  8. horde
Noun
  • That’s why Fox Sports frequently showed the throng of fans in KC celebrating during games.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
  • Given the throng of big names at Tuesday’s match, there should be no shortage of dignitary shots with Messi in town Wednesday.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • As Argentina fans flock to Atlanta ahead of the FIFA World Cup semifinal, Underground Atlanta is once again turning into Underground Argentina.
    — Amna Subhan, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • The scenes that would soon unfold were unclear as Spieth picked up his tee and started walking, all while a hundred or so fans in rain jackets flocked toward a large hill.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of flock
Verb
  • But the comics bubble burst in the early 2000s, right when King was graduating from college.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • In that time, competing tokenization specialists from the crypto industry such as Ondo and Securitize have burst onto the scene, threatening legacy clearing infrastructure through high-profile partnerships with giants including BlackRock.
    — Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 15 July 2026
Definition of burst
Verb
  • The Current will look to climb from sixth in the NWSL standings during the heart of the season without its most crucial piece.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026
  • Walmart actually hit an all-time closing high back on May 19 and has been rolling over ever since, while Target kept climbing.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 16 July 2026
Definition of climb
Noun
  • Tuesday’s game had a crowd at Sundance Square of a few hundred, with a strong mix between France and Spain fans.
    — Cal Phillips Updated July 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • The picture of Cardinals cool, Walker chased down Kyle Schwarber, shut up a rambunctious Philly crowd and introduced himself to a much wider baseball world.
    — Dan Gelston, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of crowd
Verb
  • For the most recent earnings season, these forecasting fruit flies buzzed around modeling 12% earnings growth for the quarter.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • As the train approaches Portland, the view shifts again, with bridges, waterways, and buzzing streets.
    — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
Definition of buzz
Verb
  • From here, the Manchester City defender sprints into the six-yard box to meet the corner, forcing a good save from Dominik Livakovic, with his team-mates unable to scramble the ball over the line.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • As Meta races ahead with its multi-hundred-billion-dollar AI push, rivals Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon are also chasing the same tax breaks and energy deals from states scrambling for a piece of the AI boom.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 13 July 2026
Definition of scramble
Noun
  • The Trojans unquestioningly bring the horse, apparently a religious offering, within their city walls, only for a handful of Greek troops hidden inside, led by Odysseus, to open the gates, letting in a horde of warriors who lay waste to Troy.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
  • In videos obtained by Reuters, hordes of people can be seen scattering as the bulls approached them from behind.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026
Definition of horde

Browse Nearby Words

swards
swarm
swarmed
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Cite this Entry

“Swarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarm. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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