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
Daniels, meanwhile, was hit 10 times by Green Bay’s swarming defense and faced pressure on nearly half of his dropbacks. Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 The 1950s saw the Type 1 spread globally, especially swarming roads in the United States during the 1960s. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025 Nordstrom is swarming with deals up to 80 percent off this Labor Day weekend. Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025 The secondary, headlined by senior cornerback Brandon Ford and senior defensive back Jaleal Allen, patrols the back end of a swarming defense. Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025 The payoff is a drolly whirligig centerpiece sequence in which their small apartment is suddenly swarming with Ashley’s boyfriends. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025 In broad daylight, a group of men on motorbikes can be seen swarming and viciously beating another rider, allegedly for stealing their bike. Wbff Staff, Baltimore Sun, 16 Aug. 2025 The swampy muck is swarming with bugs, snakes and alligators, fire officials said. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025 Castle Leoch is swarming with mourners, and those who are ready to pounce on the unfortunate detail that Jacob never technically chose an heir to take his place as laird, or head of the Mackenzie clan. Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarming
Adjective
  • Both lie within crowded galaxy clusters, where their jets likely interact with million-degree hot plasma, sculpting these unusual shapes.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
  • OpenAI released its most powerful GPT-5 model in August, aimed at shoring up its lead in an increasingly crowded sphere.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Streamline applications with pre-filled forms, especially to support internal mobility where workloads are high or digital access is limited.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The discussion was enlivened by questions from a packed house of students and cinephiles.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
  • In the packed schedule of Milan, amid fashion shows and presentations, there’s also room for exhibitions and launches of new brands.
    Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The gun fired — but the second round in the magazine repeatedly jammed.
    Greg Allen, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
  • For Orange shoppers, the bigger space at the corner of Tustin Street and Meats Avenue will help with the seemingly ever present crowd, which swells to long lines and jammed aisles (and parking lot), especially during the Chapman University school year.
    Samantha Gowen, Oc Register, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • When an electrical current is applied, lithium ions pass through the barrier while other abundant elements—such as sodium, calcium and magnesium—are left behind.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The majority of it is fructose (a sugar most abundant in many fruits), followed by glucose, with lesser amounts of sucrose and other sugars.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • And finally… Frustration at Sheffield United is rife; immeasurable, almost.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The mysterious laser weapon was displayed at China’s Victory Day parade in Beijing in September, and since then, speculations have been rife over its capabilities.
    Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Erika Kirk also explained why a small stuffed puppet was sitting beside Kirk’s empty microphone.
    Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The school set up care stations with counseling, candy and stuffed animals.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Another, the Monster Room, is awash with red and brown, offering up a chandelier that sprouts from the ceiling, seemingly alive, and a massive bed wrapped in vines as the room’s statement pieces, Afar reported.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2025
  • With kids back in school, parents are awash in laundry.
    Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarming. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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