as in lilting
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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
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 swaying
Anna Haines, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2025
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
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
Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 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 Jan. 2026
In addition to swaying elections, wealth may also be tipping the scales in court.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
This week, Harry Styles makes a glittering pivot to the discotheque, Arctic Monkeys return with a swaying charity single, and Wizkid and Asake unite for a sleek highlight from their collaborative EP.
—Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
This time, however, their two daughters were swaying in the background instead of their crowd of wedding guests.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Bottlenose Bay anchors the action with six water slides, splash zones, tipping buckets, and water cannons, while the Gulfstream Lazy River offers a slower drift beneath swaying palms.
—Amber Love Bond, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2026
What to know about Okinawa Okinawa is Japan’s sole subtropical region, attracting visitors seeking white sand beaches and swaying palms.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 16 Jan. 2026
Expect no-frills musicianship under warm stage lights, a crowd swaying to pedal steel and fiddle, and the kind of intimate connection that has made Wall’s shows feel like stories shared around a campfire.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 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
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
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
Verb
Behind him, the procession slowly comes to rest, their candles swaying in the night air.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 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 Jan. 2026
In addition to swaying elections, wealth may also be tipping the scales in court.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
This week, Harry Styles makes a glittering pivot to the discotheque, Arctic Monkeys return with a swaying charity single, and Wizkid and Asake unite for a sleek highlight from their collaborative EP.
—Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
This time, however, their two daughters were swaying in the background instead of their crowd of wedding guests.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Bottlenose Bay anchors the action with six water slides, splash zones, tipping buckets, and water cannons, while the Gulfstream Lazy River offers a slower drift beneath swaying palms.
—Amber Love Bond, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2026
What to know about Okinawa Okinawa is Japan’s sole subtropical region, attracting visitors seeking white sand beaches and swaying palms.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 16 Jan. 2026
Expect no-frills musicianship under warm stage lights, a crowd swaying to pedal steel and fiddle, and the kind of intimate connection that has made Wall’s shows feel like stories shared around a campfire.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 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
-
Careers involving children, healing, cooking, interior design, real estate, food content, wellness, and lifestyle influencing thrive.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
23 Dec. 2025
-
Since then, her career has expanded far beyond the brand, evolving into styling, influencing, and creative direction.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
University officials tried to reassure the campus that the impacts of the new policy would be minimal, affecting only a small portion of the classes being offered and that class cancellations wouldn’t create any obstacles preventing students from staying on course to graduate.—
Juan A. Lozano,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The couple say the constant anxiety and weeks indoors have taken a toll, affecting their sleep and their health.—
Alicia Victoria Lozano,
NBC news,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Natanya complicates her old-school character sketch with cerebral shifts in perspective, affecting each of the voices that accompany a young woman’s drive for success and independence (demanding friends and parents, sexist expectations, her own willpower) in a lurching cascade of melodies.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The midterm blue wave backlash is gathering, with the generic ballot lurching in the Democrats' favor and Trump’s popularity cratering.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Basel Convention, a global treaty governing hazardous waste movement across borders, shapes how e-waste is recycled worldwide.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation — the sport’s governing body — investigated that race and said no rules were broken.—
Tim Reynolds,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The musical movies have received critical acclaim, and the second film earned five total nominations at this year's Globes — one more than the 2025 Golden Globes.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Other late-night shows have similarly reduced their musical acts in recent years.—
David Matthews,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The skill of the future is real-time prompting, including excelling at steering an AI’s output during a live brainstorm.—
David Henkin,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
On the same day, at Southside Presbyterian Church, in Tucson, Arizona, a similar press conference was held at the prompting of an eccentric goat herder named Jim Corbett, who had been sheltering refugees for the past year and had turned to the church for help.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Meta shares spiked 10% after impressing analysts with robust results and quarterly revenue guidance on Wednesday.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The service The concierge team has a, ‘your wish is our command’ philosophy and pride themselves on impressing guests behind their wildest dreams.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaying. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
