SWAY Synonyms: 179 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'sway' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sway are authority , command , control , dominion , jurisdiction , and power . While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence. // the empire extended its sway over the region

Q: When can 'authority' be used instead of 'sway'?

The meanings of authority and sway largely overlap; however, authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits. // granted the authority to manage her estate

Q: In what contexts can 'command' take the place of 'sway'?

While in some cases nearly identical to sway , command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience. // the army officer in command

Q: When would 'control' be a good substitute for 'sway'?

In some situations, the words control and sway are roughly equivalent. However, control stresses the power to direct and restrain. // you are responsible for the students under your control

Q: When could 'dominion' be used to replace 'sway'?

The synonyms dominion and sway are sometimes interchangeable, but dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority. // given dominion over all the animals

Q: When is 'jurisdiction' a more appropriate choice than 'sway'?

The words jurisdiction and sway are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits. // the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

Q: When is it sensible to use 'power' instead of 'sway'?

The words power and sway can be used in similar contexts, but power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence. // the power to mold public opinion

sway 1 of 2

noun

ˈswā

Definition of sway

as in influence

the power to bring about a result on another under the sway of euphoria, she offered to take us all out to dinner in celebration of her new job

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in leverage

the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in power

the right or means to command or control others a time when Rome held sway over a vast empire that stretched from Britain to the Near East

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sway

2 of 2

verb

as in to influence

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response how can you not be swayed by that precious kitten, meowing as if to say, "Please take me home with you?"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to lurch

to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions the way the ski lift was swaying in the wind made me nervous

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to govern

archaic to exercise authority or power over an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sway contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sway are authority, command, control, dominion, jurisdiction, and power. While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

When can authority be used instead of sway?

The meanings of authority and sway largely overlap; however, authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

In what contexts can command take the place of sway?

While in some cases nearly identical to sway, command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

When would control be a good substitute for sway?

In some situations, the words control and sway are roughly equivalent. However, control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

When could dominion be used to replace sway?

The synonyms dominion and sway are sometimes interchangeable, but dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

When is jurisdiction a more appropriate choice than sway?

The words jurisdiction and sway are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

When is it sensible to use power instead of sway?

The words power and sway can be used in similar contexts, but power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

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 sway

Noun

Still, this vocal group may have more sway going forward if Republicans perform poorly in the midterms and AI anxiety is a factor. — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Blurred boundaries Measuring global functional connectivity—how much influence each patch of cortex exerts over the rest—the team found that, when participants had their eyes closed, sensory regions lost sway while associative regions gained. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 Oct. 2026

Verb

The goddesses in these paintings have a serene air, with roots firmly anchored in the earth, but also a crown of leaves that sway with the wind. — Tatiane De Assis, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 But Matt is also — and this is something the film can never quite square — a bit too easily swayed by a pretty face and a night out at the club. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sway

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sway

Noun

With this election, Sanders and Warren have an opportunity to steer Democrats further left and turn that political influence into a legislative agenda that is more adversarial toward big business and the private sector.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2026
Earlier Delft experiments focused on electron spins and their influence on nuclear spins through hyperfine coupling.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of influence

Noun

Jean Gilles Bernard Camille, a community organizer who lives in a gang stronghold in the capital, said foreign forces have repeatedly underestimated the capacity and power of Haitian gangs and their ability to adapt.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Georgy Tikhomirov, a nuclear physicist at Russia’s MEPhI university, said there is still too little operating experience to assess the actual cost of the electricity and power produced.

— Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of power

Verb

The initiative targets the submarine’s internal configuration, where even minor design changes can affect the vessel’s overall balance.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
Allegations come after CalHR rejected proposals that would affect the state’s budget.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of affect

Verb

After a handful of supremely mellow releases that blended lurching ’90s breakbeats with wintry, Mazzy Star-like songwriting, their third album dives into a vat of mercurial distortion and slippery, all-consuming bass.

— Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Irvine, who was commuting home from his job as a technician in a dark blue Volkswagen hatchback, came to an abrupt stop in free-flowing traffic, lurching to the far-right lane.

— Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of lurch

Verb

Infantino is seeking re-election next year as the head of soccer’s world governing body in the face of attempts to force him to stand down in the wake of the divisive plan.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
There are other schools guided by religion – Notre Dame and Villanova are about to enjoy an audience with the Pope after playing in men’s and women’s basketball in Rome next month – but none is technically governed by its church.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of govern

Noun

The method is precise, but the effect is unruly, as if the chainsaws are really back there somewhere inside the speaker, about to slash through the cone.

— Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 31 Oct. 2026
But whether researchers intended to serve their funders’ agenda on CCS or not, some say the effect has been undeniable.

— Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of effect

Noun

Following a sloppy start Friday on the offensive end and an underwhelming start on the defensive end, the Heat flipped a switch midway through the second quarter to take complete control of the game.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2026
The race is among a handful of Senate contests this year expected to determine control of the chamber.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of control

Browse Nearby Words

swatting

sway

swayed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sway.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sway. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of sway

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on sway

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

satiate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes