as in lilting
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1
as in affecting
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 lurching
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 governing
archaic
to exercise authority or power over
an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world
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Recent Examples of swaying
Anna Haines, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2025
Torie Bosch, STAT, 1 June 2026
There’s an ever present sense of the air moving, seen in the grass swaying and the smoke drifting.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
While Kesteloo is used to traveling at sea, the rocking and swaying of the boat might affect you differently.
—Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Chisora would react by dipping and swaying.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Tuesday night’s elections further showed the swaying power that Latinx voters can have.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Everyone sat down around a fire pit, except for Land, who stood, face lit from below, gesturing and swaying.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
That’s why, in Wicked onstage, there is a giant dragon above the proscenium that activates at the very beginning of the show, roaring and swaying.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
With Crow leading the verses, the other artists wrapped their arms around each other, swaying and singing.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 24 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Bathrooms include illuminated sink basins and cocoon tubs, as well as inside and outdoor showers, shaded by swaying palms.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
THe morning after Louisiana’s House primaries were scheduled to take place, worshippers at Mount Zion First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge were on their feet, swaying to the gospel music that vibrated through the wooden pews.
—Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
Because even though the president’s support among GOP voters has diminished, his demonstrable strength is still swaying the party’s primary contests.
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
Here, beneath the swaying kelp canopy of the Great African Seaforest, a helmet snail rises from the sand, siphon probing like a periscope for the scent of sea urchins.
—Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026
In general, bears show agitation by swaying their heads, huffing, and clacking their teeth.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
Footage of giant yellow black-eyed Susan flowers beams onto the wall from one projector, intersecting with video of swaying plants from another.
—Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Australian scientists believe increasingly crowded waters and rising ocean temperatures are swaying sharks' migratory patterns, which may be contributing to a rise in attacks.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
Adjective
As the sun set below blush clouds, the gently swaying crowd matched the R&B singer’s sultry energy.
—Anna Haines, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
No, in these cases, there wasn’t any successful swaying of opinion.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 1 June 2026
There’s an ever present sense of the air moving, seen in the grass swaying and the smoke drifting.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
While Kesteloo is used to traveling at sea, the rocking and swaying of the boat might affect you differently.
—Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Chisora would react by dipping and swaying.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Tuesday night’s elections further showed the swaying power that Latinx voters can have.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Everyone sat down around a fire pit, except for Land, who stood, face lit from below, gesturing and swaying.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
That’s why, in Wicked onstage, there is a giant dragon above the proscenium that activates at the very beginning of the show, roaring and swaying.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
With Crow leading the verses, the other artists wrapped their arms around each other, swaying and singing.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 24 Nov. 2025
Verb
The man looked at me in a rustling way, swaying toward me, his Styrofoam plate of angel hair and cherry tomatoes dotted with tiny black seeds like ants’ eyes.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Bathrooms include illuminated sink basins and cocoon tubs, as well as inside and outdoor showers, shaded by swaying palms.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
THe morning after Louisiana’s House primaries were scheduled to take place, worshippers at Mount Zion First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge were on their feet, swaying to the gospel music that vibrated through the wooden pews.
—Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
Because even though the president’s support among GOP voters has diminished, his demonstrable strength is still swaying the party’s primary contests.
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
Here, beneath the swaying kelp canopy of the Great African Seaforest, a helmet snail rises from the sand, siphon probing like a periscope for the scent of sea urchins.
—Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026
In general, bears show agitation by swaying their heads, huffing, and clacking their teeth.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
Footage of giant yellow black-eyed Susan flowers beams onto the wall from one projector, intersecting with video of swaying plants from another.
—Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Australian scientists believe increasingly crowded waters and rising ocean temperatures are swaying sharks' migratory patterns, which may be contributing to a rise in attacks.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swaying
Adjective
-
Tripping along a lilting triplet rhythm, the album opens with one of its catchiest melodies—and one of those sleight-of-hand maneuvers that are Hoop’s specialty.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
19 May 2026
-
What started out as a lilting memoir of youthful abandon eventually reveals itself to be something far more disturbing and scarring.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Seven states have now passed legislation to regulate family influencing, but these laws mostly just ensure that parents set aside a percentage of earnings to compensate their children.—
Kristen Martin,
The Atlantic,
13 May 2026
-
Once dismissed as a side hustle or vanity career, social media influencing has rapidly evolved into one of the most lucrative—and measurable—jobs in the modern economy.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ir remains to be seen, though, how many legislatures will follow, and whether the outburst of mid-decade redistricting will extend down to county commissions, city councils and school boards that make myriad decisions affecting people's lives.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
In 2023, the city began issuing citations to anyone found along the corridor with fire-starting equipment, trash that threatened local habitats or camping gear affecting the flow of water.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
-
The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Senegal beat Morocco to win its second continental title earlier this year, but was subsequently deemed to have forfeited the game by African football’s governing body because much of the squad had left the field after a contentious penalty call late in the game.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
-
City officials have not shared publicly the circumstances surrounding his resignation, and the agreement governing his departure has remained secret.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
The new Broadway comedy made off with major hardware at the June 7 ceremony, winning four statuettes including best musical.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
The show, which justly received the Tony for best musical revival contained perhaps the season’s most seismic tour de force.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The agent can run programs and complete requests without constant prompting.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
These followers, or individuals who react or respond to the prompting of opinion leaders, may not necessarily qualify as opinion leaders themselves.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
As children mature, parents (and society at large) prepare them for adulthood by impressing upon them the fact that their actions have consequences, and their agency increases.—
Ted Chiang,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
-
When a female of the species shows up to check out a male’s fancy digs, the male tosses his shiniest objects in her direction and shows off his plumage in hopes of impressing her.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaying. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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