as in influenced
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1
as in affected
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?"
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lurched
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the way the ski lift was swaying in the wind made me nervous
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3
as in ruled
archaic
to exercise authority or power over
an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swayed
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
As fans stood for the opening run, a sprawling 23-piece backing ensemble — including six band members, eight backing vocalists plus returning Church muse Joanna Cotten, and a mini-orchestra with four horns and four strings — some swayed.
—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
When betting on a startup’s future potential, Graham is typically more swayed by his impression of its founders than the idea behind their business, the co-founder of startup accelerator Y Combinator wrote in a series of posts on social media platform X on August 10.
—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
18 Aug. 2025
Business executives, at least some, are less swayed by the hype and more level-headed about the costs and benefits of using AI.
—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies' management decisions, efficiency and financials.
—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
Whether Leo can be swayed is another matter, given his own experience in the region and criticism of the often corrupt deals mining companies ink with governments in the developing world.
—
ABC News,
20 June 2026
While the fervor around cult and true-crime documentaries is practically in the water these days, director Chris Smith‘s three-episode series stands out for its sensitive portrait of the individuals swayed by the ’80s and early-’90s Eternal Values cult, one of the strangest on television’s offer.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
Yet voters weren’t swayed by Steyer’s money, seeing the donation as a rational response by a company deeply invested in California to a candidate who at least acknowledges basic energy reality.
—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Social media video showed dozens of terrified elementary schoolchildren crouching down outdoors as the ground beneath them swayed violently in the province of Davao Occidental.
—
Kathleen Magramo,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Despite losing his job, Pelley successfully derailed their announcement plan for a new 60 Minutes, causing Bilton to play defense and apologize to staff just a week after joining the network and conceding that 60 Minutes would have full editorial independence that could not be swayed.
—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
8 June 2026
Ultimately, the board was swayed by the impact of Dougherty’s public work in Colorado.
—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
Adjective
Most teams, in fact, decided from the start that pitchers were not in the best position and were liable to be too emotionally swayed to be entrusted with ABS challenges.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
As fans stood for the opening run, a sprawling 23-piece backing ensemble — including six band members, eight backing vocalists plus returning Church muse Joanna Cotten, and a mini-orchestra with four horns and four strings — some swayed.
—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
When betting on a startup’s future potential, Graham is typically more swayed by his impression of its founders than the idea behind their business, the co-founder of startup accelerator Y Combinator wrote in a series of posts on social media platform X on August 10.
—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
18 Aug. 2025
Business executives, at least some, are less swayed by the hype and more level-headed about the costs and benefits of using AI.
—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
The court said jurors received instructions from the trial judge that could have improperly swayed them toward convicting him.
—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies' management decisions, efficiency and financials.
—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
Whether Leo can be swayed is another matter, given his own experience in the region and criticism of the often corrupt deals mining companies ink with governments in the developing world.
—
ABC News,
20 June 2026
While the fervor around cult and true-crime documentaries is practically in the water these days, director Chris Smith‘s three-episode series stands out for its sensitive portrait of the individuals swayed by the ’80s and early-’90s Eternal Values cult, one of the strangest on television’s offer.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
Yet voters weren’t swayed by Steyer’s money, seeing the donation as a rational response by a company deeply invested in California to a candidate who at least acknowledges basic energy reality.
—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Social media video showed dozens of terrified elementary schoolchildren crouching down outdoors as the ground beneath them swayed violently in the province of Davao Occidental.
—
Kathleen Magramo,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Despite losing his job, Pelley successfully derailed their announcement plan for a new 60 Minutes, causing Bilton to play defense and apologize to staff just a week after joining the network and conceding that 60 Minutes would have full editorial independence that could not be swayed.
—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
8 June 2026
Ultimately, the board was swayed by the impact of Dougherty’s public work in Colorado.
—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swayed
Adjective
-
But not everyone is so convinced.
-
After the birth of their son, Saga (Haarla) becomes convinced there is something profoundly wrong with the child, even as those around her dismiss her fears.
Verb
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Investigators said interviews with Sayer after his arrest indicated he was influenced by the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 that left 13 dead.
-
Offer availability, placement, and display are determined by the third party and may be influenced by compensation and other factors.
Verb
-
Initial data indicates both of these earthquakes were strike-slip, Magnani said, meaning one plate lurched past the other along the boundary.
-
Rodney McDonald, who was traveling with his wife and two sons, told ABC News the ordeal began when the aircraft unexpectedly lurched.
Verb
-
In the middle of his 2024 campaign, the high court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from prosecution.
-
According to the coroner's report, the cause of death for both of the deceased was blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was ruled to be accidental.
Adjective
-
Through a slurry of distorted guitars and deadpan singing, the album brushes against grief, addiction, and abandonment through a layer of gauzy nonchalance.
-
Latvian intelligence argues that Putin is not only looking for ways to pressure NATO countries to back off Ukraine, but may also be receiving distorted assessments from inside his own system — raising the risk that Russia could misjudge Western resolve.
Verb
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Funding changes have affected metro Atlanta organizations and communities.
-
There are no definitive statistics about how many students are affected by state bans.
Verb
-
The strike rocked the Ecuadorians, whose stingy defense had been their hallmark throughout qualifying for this World Cup, and La Tri gathered together for a pep talk as Azteca boomed around them.
-
This piece can be read in the context of an event that rocked Koreans, and the world, in 2016.
Verb
-
Modernization, in this context, means making the system legible again, so behavior can be understood and governed with confidence.
-
Wrongful death cases, for example, have their own two-year deadline governed by a separate statute.
Cite this Entry
“Swayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swayed. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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