as in crowded
possessing or covered with great numbers or amounts of something specified
the museum was swarming with schoolchildren on a field trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
The neighbors said their quiet street northeast of Philadelphia was swarming with police on Sunday, March 8, as officers and a SWAT vehicle arrived at the Balats home and ordered everyone inside to walk out.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Silva didn’t attempt a field goal in the first three quarters due to West Virginia’s swarming defense.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2026
The agents swarming the car to detain Rodriguez knew a lot about her and her husband, Medina said.
—Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
Those factors make the drone ideal for swarming and overburdening aerial defenses, with each drone intercepted also representing a more valuable defense asset expended.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
The Bearcats cut the deficit to six in the second quarter, but K-State’s ball movement, swarming defense and 3-point prowess helped push the halftime lead back to double figures at 40-29.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
Still, Brock Purdy needs to throw to someone, and the offense needs an infusion of speed to keep defenses honest from swarming Christian McCaffrey.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026
Peppered with museums and cultural centers, as well as some ritzy retail, this corridor has turned into a swarming hub for locals and travelers—exactly as Rosewood’s Cheng family intended.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
So why isn’t the ocean swarming with insects?
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
The neighbors said their quiet street northeast of Philadelphia was swarming with police on Sunday, March 8, as officers and a SWAT vehicle arrived at the Balats home and ordered everyone inside to walk out.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Silva didn’t attempt a field goal in the first three quarters due to West Virginia’s swarming defense.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2026
The agents swarming the car to detain Rodriguez knew a lot about her and her husband, Medina said.
—Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
Those factors make the drone ideal for swarming and overburdening aerial defenses, with each drone intercepted also representing a more valuable defense asset expended.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
The Bearcats cut the deficit to six in the second quarter, but K-State’s ball movement, swarming defense and 3-point prowess helped push the halftime lead back to double figures at 40-29.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
Still, Brock Purdy needs to throw to someone, and the offense needs an infusion of speed to keep defenses honest from swarming Christian McCaffrey.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026
Peppered with museums and cultural centers, as well as some ritzy retail, this corridor has turned into a swarming hub for locals and travelers—exactly as Rosewood’s Cheng family intended.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarming
Adjective
-
The ancestors of insects left a crowded sea behind by adapting to life on land.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
-
In the crowded forest of sports media—where talking heads build tidy little houses of straw narratives and stick-thin hot takes—there prowls a figure with a grin sharp enough to make the room uneasy.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The new system allows citations to be transmitted electronically and enter the court records system pre-filled.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
This comforter is pre-filled and designed to be two inches wider than standard sizes for an extra-plush feel and complete bed coverage.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Reliable high-speed Wi-Fi, dedicated workspaces, business centers, meeting rooms, and on-site conference facilities can make a significant difference during a packed schedule.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
-
In a packed room at the Denver Public Schools headquarters, many students, parents, and educators spoke before board members with an urgent plea to help the immigrant population in the district.—
Gabriela Vidal,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The new findings are confounding scientists’ expectations, raising questions about how exactly molecules can encounter their reactive partners in a teeming, crowded space — and therefore how cells can possibly function.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
While the two men struggle with the jammed backdoor, Weisz’s character tosses them both a look before rushing toward the flames to grab her unfinished manuscript, written on legal pads, and dashing out of the cabin just in time.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
-
All the doors in the hallways were jammed, and some people were trapped inside their units.—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
His point was that the abundant regeneration that Hanson shows off represents scorch, where heat opened the cones to release the multitude of seeds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Though some have argued that China’s abundant energy and manufacturing capacity give it an edge in the global AI race, Chinese executives say Washington’s restrictions on sales of the most advanced semiconductors are stifling the country’s AI development.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
However, the awards are co-organised by Tokyo International Film Festival, and speculation has been rife that there were concerns about the optics had the ceremony taken place, as Japanese cinema has had a strong year and was likely to walk off with multiple prizes.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Speculation has been rife that HTC isn’t in fact manufacturing the phones internally, but had commissioned an ODM — original design manufacturer — to produce the hardware.—
Dominic Preston,
The Verge,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As one reporter predicted three, hearts sank in the crammed quarters.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
-
When your floor space is far from generous, implementing small bedroom storage ideas is the difference between waking up in crammed quarters and having breathing room.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swarming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarming. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
