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
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
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
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
Bryant Reed, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Instructor Jules led a beginner-friendly samba routine that included arm movements, swaying hips and traveling steps.
—Tamara Dunn, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
Sandy shores, a deep blue ocean, swaying palm trees?
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
The cobra now was swaying, too.
—John McPhee, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Sentiment in other nations is swaying China’s way, too.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
The grounds are ensconced in swaying palm trees and lotus ponds that offer panoramic vistas of the ocean from nearly every angle.
—Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
There were bird feeders hanging from the trees, fountains for the pollinators, and wind chimes swaying to and fro from the back porch.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2026
Scatter them throughout your garden or use the swaying lights to turn your backyard into a magical oasis.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 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
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
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
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
Verb
The Jewish community responds With the meme aimed at swaying Jewish voters, in rotation, Howard Libit, the Executive Director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, says political races should be won fair and square.
—Bryant Reed, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Instructor Jules led a beginner-friendly samba routine that included arm movements, swaying hips and traveling steps.
—Tamara Dunn, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
Sandy shores, a deep blue ocean, swaying palm trees?
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
The cobra now was swaying, too.
—John McPhee, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Sentiment in other nations is swaying China’s way, too.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
The grounds are ensconced in swaying palm trees and lotus ponds that offer panoramic vistas of the ocean from nearly every angle.
—Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
There were bird feeders hanging from the trees, fountains for the pollinators, and wind chimes swaying to and fro from the back porch.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2026
Scatter them throughout your garden or use the swaying lights to turn your backyard into a magical oasis.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swaying
Adjective
-
The track is one of the shortest on the EP but the most concise, composed simply of guitar, strings, Tems’ lilting falsetto, and sparse backing vocals.—
Nelson C.J,
Rolling Stone,
21 Nov. 2025
-
The second violins introduce the second movement with a soft, lilting quality, creating music that’s elegant and musically complex.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
We are faced with a next generation of AI-enabled influencing that is readily undertaken on a massive scale.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, for the next six years, Uranus will be opposite your sign affecting your closest partnerships.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Over the last 30 days, the state has had more than 800 reported wildfires, affecting more than 43,500 acres, Johnny Sabo, the director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, said during the news conference.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Another neighbor recalled an elevator lurching between floors.—
Elle McLogan,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The rollbacks included minimum wage requirements for home healthcare workers and people with disabilities, and rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures at mines.—
Seung Min Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Track and field’s international governing body decided to allow seven Americans — instead of the usual four — to compete at the world championships in Denmark.—
Jennifer McDermott,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Her memories of Fang Klein run deep, having met as students at San José State University in 1996, where Fang Klein earned her bachelor’s degree in dance with a minor in musical theater.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Following that, Jennifer Hudson, who starred with Murphy in Dreamgirls (for which Murphy was nominated for an Academy Award), sang a medley of songs from the musical.—
John Ross,
Vanity Fair,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Knowing how to drive is the prompting.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Recently, her kids, ages 11 and 15, participated in a school walkout in protest of ICE without any prompting from her.—
Adrienne Farr,
Parents,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After beginning the season out of the rotation, Jakucionis went on to crack the Heat’s rotation in December by impressing coaches with his energy, playmaking skills and ability to hold up on defense.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Rivera was able to complete 10 out of the 14 exercises without quitting, impressing the Father Stu star.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaying. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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