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

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the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities

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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

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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

The sometimes-conflicting bids to win sway have also drawn dividing lines among the forum’s members, threatening to derail annual summits. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 Dance, stretch, sway, walk, garden, or wave your arms around your living room. — Angela Haupt, Time, 26 Aug. 2026

Verb

Whether or not McKee is responsible, the bridge has swayed voters away, said Maureen Moakley, a professor emeritus at University Rhode Island. — Sophia Vlahakis, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 The 2026 midterms will offer the clearest test yet of whether opposition to data centers can sway voters. — Grace Hase, Mercury News, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sway

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sway

Noun

The audience is therefore not just a number sitting underneath a creator’s profile, but part of the influence itself.

— Sergi Cerrato, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Crane and senior adviser Jeff Bagwell still wield considerable influence in baseball operations matters, a setup that all prospective candidates must already understand.

— Chandler Rome, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of influence

Noun

This could give Iran additional leverage in its war with the United States.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
Gauthier didn’t have the leverage of salary arbitration and wasn’t eligible for an offer sheet, but the 22-year-old is bound to land a massive deal after a breakout 41-goal season.

— Max Bultman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of leverage

Noun

And Majority Leader John Thune still could hold a roll-call vote on a data center power bill that Democrats blocked on Thursday.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Stone and Robert Icke, for example, have both built careers on transplanting old stories into slick contemporary containers, and, in varying degrees, those containers can come packed with power.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of power

Verb

Those findings affect the survivor benefits for which service members' families are eligible.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Shifting donor priorities affect voter turnout groups The reasons for the troubled funding landscape are varied and at times unclear, according to nearly two dozen fundraisers and organizers who spoke with the AP.

— Matt Brown, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of affect

Verb

Still, there is no working around the fact that a manual transmission is a pain in traffic – with the endless clutching and shifting and lurching forward in first gear.

— Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026
With a cigarette dangling from her lips, ashes and curse words ever ready to fall, Angela lurches around the house critical of everything and everyone.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of lurch

Verb

Experts say part of the problem is that federal laws that govern the handling of health information generally don’t apply to telehealth companies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
In August, hundreds showed up to defend California’s authority to govern its own coast at a Santa Monica hearing of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, and 18,000 more people filed comments online.

— Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of govern

Noun

Any new laws could have a disproportionate effect on the global tech industry because many top AI companies are based in California.

— Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
This manicure features swirly designs in four different shades of brown, creating a beautiful gradient effect that resembles a subtle rainbow at the base of the nails.

— Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of effect

Noun

Robert Mugabe, longtime strongman of Zimbabwe, printed money to ensure his party kept control of the country and to finance the nation's deficits.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Democrats have seized upon AI safety to boost their chances of retaking congressional control in the midterms.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of control

Browse Nearby Words

swatting

sway

swayed

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Sway.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sway. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sway

noun

verb

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