1
as in effects
the power to bring about a result on another
under the sway of euphoria, she offered to take us all out to dinner in celebration of her new job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in influences
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly
outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in controls
the right or means to command or control others
a time when Rome held sway over a vast empire that stretched from Britain to the Near East
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in affects
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 lurches
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 governs
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
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Recent Examples of sways
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Republican political consultants are skeptical that Paxton’s place on the ballot sways the needle for Democrats.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 June 2026
Now the castle is in ruins (though with explanatory signage), with hiking paths, a museum, and a 1,200-foot pedestrian suspension bridge that sways 300 feet above the valley floor.
—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
8 June 2026
One big question now, Thomas says, is whether a tie-up with a paragon of fast-fashion alienates Everlane's current clientele — or sways Shein shoppers to trade up.
—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
22 May 2026
Biff shouts at him at the show’s excruciating climax) sways between light and dark, between the road and the deadly shoulder, advancing through his last hours on earth as if through the stations of the cross.
—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Sunday's vote was seen as a key test of whether the EU member nation stays on its liberal course or sways toward the right.
—
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Grips the microphone, sways her hips.
—
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
What to Expect From ‘Reminders of Him’ The film barely sways from the book, which has sold more than 6 million copies, a decision Caswill says was intentional after reading the screenplay by Lauren Levine and Hoover.
—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
In its dynamic equilibrium, our system sways like a grand old tree in the wind.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Republican political consultants are skeptical that Paxton’s place on the ballot sways the needle for Democrats.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 June 2026
Now the castle is in ruins (though with explanatory signage), with hiking paths, a museum, and a 1,200-foot pedestrian suspension bridge that sways 300 feet above the valley floor.
—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
8 June 2026
One big question now, Thomas says, is whether a tie-up with a paragon of fast-fashion alienates Everlane's current clientele — or sways Shein shoppers to trade up.
—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
22 May 2026
Biff shouts at him at the show’s excruciating climax) sways between light and dark, between the road and the deadly shoulder, advancing through his last hours on earth as if through the stations of the cross.
—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Sunday's vote was seen as a key test of whether the EU member nation stays on its liberal course or sways toward the right.
—
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Grips the microphone, sways her hips.
—
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
What to Expect From ‘Reminders of Him’ The film barely sways from the book, which has sold more than 6 million copies, a decision Caswill says was intentional after reading the screenplay by Lauren Levine and Hoover.
—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sways
Noun
-
The compounding effects of high fuel costs along with the debt that helped finance the purchase and the upgrades to the planes accumulated quickly.
-
Leaders are constantly in a chronic, sympathetic-dominant state that, if not appropriately managed, can have downstream effects on their cardiovascular health, immune functioning, sleep, and even personal relationships.
Noun
-
The hillside home has been thoughtfully restored and updated with Scandinavian and Japanese design influences.
-
For Sirmans, those influences give the exhibition a particular resonance in Miami.
Noun
-
Export controls have blocked Huawei and China’s leading chipmakers from access to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools and leading-edge foundry capacity around which the frontier semiconductor roadmap is organized.
-
Anthropic had objected to the government’s decision to impose export controls in a blog post announcing that the two systems had been disabled.
Verb
-
Remote work affects different people in different ways, Bloom said.
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What matters is understanding how disruption affects services, revenue streams, customer commitments and regulatory obligations most critical to the business.
Verb
-
The film unhurriedly lurches from one markedly similar fight scene to the next, with only Skeletor’s occasional injections of ripe innuendo to liven them up a bit.
-
By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous.
Verb
-
The framework that currently governs Palestinian workers in Israel dates to 1994, when Israeli and Palestinian officials agreed to the Paris Protocol of the Oslo Accords.
-
Thomas added that Cancer is connected to home life, family, ancestry and emotional foundations, while Capricorn governs career, public image and professional success.
Noun
-
Dybantsa was in a heated race against Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer to be the top pick as all three are projected to make immediate impacts at the professional level.
-
Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, especially in southeastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to health impacts and wildfires.
Noun
-
Another loophole Trump leverages to achieve his all-encompassing power grab is the National Emergencies Act.
-
According to Easter, each of the 33 cocktails on the menu leverages a bottle with a story behind it, and the staff is prepared to regale you with their histories.
Cite this Entry
“Sways.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sways. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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