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

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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

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

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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

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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 Cleveland Guardians will host the Chicago White Sox for Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday afternoon, and along with a sellout crowd, swarms of midges will be in attendance. — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 Related Stories So the media and entertainment commissioner got to work, taking scissors to the city’s red tape at the same time that recent improvements to the state’s tax incentive were attracting a swarm of new productions. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
However, what hasn’t changed is that Hollywood (not a place but a swarming hive with no geographical boundaries) depends on the interaction of its human elements which is conducted under great financial and emotional pressure. — Rick Nicita, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 But from the first whistle to the last, the Bruins’ defense was everywhere, swarming the signal caller behind the line of scrimmage and giving him no time for plays to develop downfield. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 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
  • Set the scene Deep in verdant Bogawantalawa Valley, the serenity here is a welcome break from the throng of the south coast beaches.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Word spread quickly, and soon a throng of smartphone-wielding citizens had surrounded the immigration enforcement van, which couldn’t move because one enterprising, early-arriving activist had slid underneath it.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • Local travelers have been flocking there for years for its small boutique hotels and wineries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Thanks to recent improvements to the state tax incentive, New York is now one of the most cost-friendly places to shoot in the world, with film and TV projects flocking to the state.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of flock
Verb
  • In these moments, the actor bursts through his roles as the Spider does through Reilly, unleashing the Grand Guignol excess that is Nicolas Cage.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Two weeks after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, the Russian TV Channel One editor Marina Ovsyannikova burst onto the set of the evening newscast.
    — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Verb
  • The cost of building a turbine has climbed between 30% to 40% since 2020, largely because of the price of raw materials.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Weekends are for competing and the beach, for spending time with friends and climbing through brief windows of freedom in a life otherwise built on routine.
    — Bella Armstrong, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of climb
Noun
  • The hotel draws a significant business and convention crowd, as well as fans in town for a big game.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The series follows the Canadian team’s historic run to the World Cup final, where they were ultimately toppled by host country England, going down 33-13 in front of a sellout crowd of 82,000 at Twickenham Stadium in South West London.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of crowd
Verb
  • The awards buzz may prove tough to come by at this point, given that Digger was hit with a C+ CinemaScore from audiences, landing as one of the lowest grades for Cruise’s career, and has polarized critics.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
  • One of the acts that made a big impression on the youngsters was the Allen Tolbert Unit, whose namesake would captivate them by buzzing up and down his guitar fretboard like a hummingbird in flight.
    — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of buzz
Verb
  • As Clark and Phoenix players scrambled for the loose ball, Thomas dove toward the floor.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • When the value of a newly public company drops by more than a third within months of its trading debut, investors usually scramble for the exits.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of scramble
Noun
  • The twentieth century industrialized advisory through hordes of ambitious young graduates and an apprenticeship model that allowed advice to be sold by those with much less viabexperience.
    — Albert Mikkelsen, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Outside of Hotel Chelsea, hordes of fans greeted this season’s cast, who have made the long-running series a cult favorite.
    — Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 24 Sep. 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 8 Oct. 2026.

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