swarming 1 of 3

swarming

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of swarm
1
as in flocking
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 bursting
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

swarming

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of swarm
as in climbing
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 swarming
Verb
San Clemente gave up only 20 rushing yards, but San Juan Hills’ two interceptions and swarming defensive line swung the game. — Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026 Below, Edwards could see park staff and paramedics swarming the ride’s entrance. — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Reese and Canada have helped the team win all four of the Dream’s playoff games, leading a swarming defense. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 The high-flying Bears finally met their match against a swarming pack of Coyotes. — Nate Peterson, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2026 Lids were left off of exterior garbage dumpster, with several flies swarming the area. — Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 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 And that set up the Ravens' improbable finish that was capped by Loop's kick sailing through the uprights and the jubilant Ravens swarming their kicker during a wild celebration at the Maracana. — CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 Swarm Defense grew out of Firefly Drone Shows, which has built more than 20,000 swarming drones since 2017 and shares engineering and manufacturing resources with the defense company. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarming
Adjective
  • With Election Day approaching, California voters are facing a crowded ballot and competing claims about what the state's propositions would do.
    — James Taylor, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The International Monetary Fund warned this month that growing leverage, crowded positions and correlated selling from hedge funds could create potential stability risks.
    — Hugh Son, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • From shredding the slopes in the winter to floating on the water in the summer, the unofficial capital of the Sierra Nevada sees outdoorsy travelers constantly flocking to its campsites and cabins.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Owls are nocturnal, so birders have been flocking up to the site at night, hoping to catch a glimpse.
    — Nick Caloway, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • When a bank of televisions showed horses bursting through the starting gate, feet stomped on the club’s carpet.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • And every few months, a bursting FedEx envelope from Baltimore would appear at my desk at PRH containing Professor Dixon’s typewritten chunks of new and unpublished writing.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • With prices climbing faster than paychecks, small changes to everyday spending can help stretch your budget.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Go plays Park Hyun-tae, an executive director in Chronic Motors’ Seoul office who has come back from the company’s European headquarters after climbing the corporate ladder at a young age.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Taylor received the medication in four pre-filled syringes, but wanted a lower dose.
    — Kara McGrath, Allure, 15 Sep. 2026
  • New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have introduced or passed legislation penalizing the practice and requiring employers to disclose hiring timelines or remove filled postings, while Texas has opened its own investigation into a major job board.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Staff and faculty question whether expansion serves low-income communities, while nurses describe severe emergency-room crowding.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Wait for the rows in front of you to get up and head to the exit, rather than scrambling to snatch your items from the overhead bins and just crowding the aisle.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • It was purchased by husband-and-wife duo Kelly and Bryan Binder during the pandemic, and reopened in 2024 as the current nine-bedroom buzzing boutique hotel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Packers are simply buzzing now, which includes their defense continuing to take the ball away.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Wait for the rows in front of you to get up and head to the exit, rather than scrambling to snatch your items from the overhead bins and just crowding the aisle.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • So states have been scrambling since the notifications began going out Tuesday to figure out where the DOJ plans to be.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarming. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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