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?"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in governing
archaic
to exercise authority or power over
an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in lilting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of swaying
Anna Haines, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2025
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Riccardo’s performance encapsulates that frustration and jubilation, carrying the film on his charming, swaying shoulders.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Could her body handle the hip-swaying, leg-kicking, and straight-up flying through the air?
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Sep. 2025
Bean's performance, complete with a gospel choir, got the whole room on its feet, clapping, swaying, singing and cheering.
—Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Sep. 2025
Yet somehow, in a medium of heavy copper, Fischl captures the lithe, swaying, physical vitality of Ashe, as well as the high-mindedness of the man who was so committed to social causes.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
Bamboo basket boats swirl through the Bay Mau nipa palm forest—their skippers casting nets in the shade of swaying fronds.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The stabilizing device featured a 400-ton concrete block on a film of oil that would slide in the opposite direction to the building’s motion to counteract swaying.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Fallon then cut to a clip of Butler’s mini swaying moment, which went viral shortly after the concert.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
In another video, which Anaver shared on Facebook two days later, the interior of his home could be seen swaying back and forth.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Think endless beaches, warm breezes, swaying palm trees, and sunny skies.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Ever since, the Chiefs’ receivers have paid tribute to him after their own receptions, swaying their hands while mimicking his original move.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Come on, just look at its azure waters, its white sand beaches, and swaying palm trees—not to mention its fantastic food, culture, history, and adventure opportunities.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025
The video, shared on Instagram by Kristin Sitova on July 17, shows the bird, Audrey, bobbing and swaying in rhythm with her adoptive owner, Sitova's husband, Misha Sitov.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Oli’s movements mimic the elegance of the performers, its arms and hips swaying with fluid precision, echoing the rhythms of the wind.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Countless moths beat frenetically around the trap’s white, diaphanous panels, which are swaying with ghostly ripples in a gentle breeze.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
Adjective
Another key feature of the new design is its 3-degree-of-freedom waist, which allows the robot to perform human-like movements such as bending, twisting, and side-swaying with precision.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Riccardo’s performance encapsulates that frustration and jubilation, carrying the film on his charming, swaying shoulders.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Could her body handle the hip-swaying, leg-kicking, and straight-up flying through the air?
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Sep. 2025
Bean's performance, complete with a gospel choir, got the whole room on its feet, clapping, swaying, singing and cheering.
—Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Sep. 2025
Yet somehow, in a medium of heavy copper, Fischl captures the lithe, swaying, physical vitality of Ashe, as well as the high-mindedness of the man who was so committed to social causes.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
Bamboo basket boats swirl through the Bay Mau nipa palm forest—their skippers casting nets in the shade of swaying fronds.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The stabilizing device featured a 400-ton concrete block on a film of oil that would slide in the opposite direction to the building’s motion to counteract swaying.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Fallon then cut to a clip of Butler’s mini swaying moment, which went viral shortly after the concert.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
In 2023, House Republicans held hearings on the companies' roles in swaying votes around environmental, social and governance investing.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
In another video, which Anaver shared on Facebook two days later, the interior of his home could be seen swaying back and forth.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Think endless beaches, warm breezes, swaying palm trees, and sunny skies.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Ever since, the Chiefs’ receivers have paid tribute to him after their own receptions, swaying their hands while mimicking his original move.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Come on, just look at its azure waters, its white sand beaches, and swaying palm trees—not to mention its fantastic food, culture, history, and adventure opportunities.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025
The video, shared on Instagram by Kristin Sitova on July 17, shows the bird, Audrey, bobbing and swaying in rhythm with her adoptive owner, Sitova's husband, Misha Sitov.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Oli’s movements mimic the elegance of the performers, its arms and hips swaying with fluid precision, echoing the rhythms of the wind.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Countless moths beat frenetically around the trap’s white, diaphanous panels, which are swaying with ghostly ripples in a gentle breeze.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swaying
Verb
-
However, according to the survey, competitive pressure is the top factor influencing pricing decisions, cited by 50% of CFOs.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Zelensky saw only one way of influencing the situation.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The mood is lurching between calm and doom-mongering chaos.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This summer, the president appointed his top aides — Staff Secretary Will Scharf, Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair and Office of Management and Budget energy official Stuart Levenbach — to sit on the governing body.—
Emily Goodin,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Despite ideological differences, Dimon vowed to offer his support to Mamdani—or any mayor facing the challenge of governing New York.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The album is a triumphant release that balances anger and grief and, at times, surprising joy, with Estrada’s bright, lilting soprano piercing through the veil of her pain.—
Cat Cardenas,
Rolling Stone,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The lilting acoustic ballad previews HAIM’s upcoming deluxe version of its I Quit album, with three new tracks, out next Friday (Oct. 17).—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
James competed on American Idol season 18 in 2020, originally under the name Sophia Wackerman before changing her surname at the prompting of the judges.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Extracting valuable hypotheses requires careful prompting, iterative feedback, and a willingness to engage in a kind of dialogue with the AI, notes Swanson.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Even a tablespoon or two less honey or molasses than your recipe calls for can throw off the balance of moisture and sweetness, affecting texture, flavor, and consistency.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Fountain Hills to weigh proposed Charlie Kirk statue Are there concerns about how Kirk's death is affecting faith communities?—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While Kevin started out pop rocking with his younger brothers Nick and Joe in 2005, the group’s members began to venture out by 2011, with Joe releasing his debut solo album, Fastlife, and Nick hitting the road with his side project, Nick Jonas & the Administration, that year.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
27 Oct. 2025
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North's friend played the role of Usher, rocking an all-white outfit adorned with a single white glove — just like the musician wore — and lip-syncing into a microphone.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The green-and-yellow colors of Tanzania’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party dominate every street.—
Danish Manzoor Bhat,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
-
In this age of money ruling all things program building — not historical blue blood status or high school geographic recruiting footprints — anyone can change the course of history with the right coach and a boatload of cash (hello, Indiana).—
Matt Hayes,
USA TODAY,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaying. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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