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outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities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
Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
In addition, the NFL argued that the NFLPA refused to share important information about its survey, including methodology such as whether the data is weighted or averaged, and how qualitative feedback sways results.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Look for a silhouette that has a little movement, like this wide-leg pair, for a cropped hemline that sways above loafers, sneakers, and ballet flats.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
That sways decisions from time-to-time.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Coogan stretches his massive wingspan and sways to the music as the on-air countdown ticks toward zero.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026
As the two hugged, Hayley flashed a strip of sonogram photos at the camera as the couple smiles and sways in the sunlight.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
From leathery leaves to porcupine-like seedheads to foliage that sways gracefully, perennials offer all kinds of engaging winter interest.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2025
Winter’s vocal presence imagines a fearless indie oddball like Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus going for the full prattling gusto of the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger; the band tussles and sways exhilaratingly underfoot.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Verb
Williams turns his ear for propulsive and bombastic melodies onto traditional Japanese instrumentation, creating a work that sways between gentle, meditative themes for the titular geisha (Ziyi) and heart-pounding selections to fill out her chaotic, tragic life.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
In addition, the NFL argued that the NFLPA refused to share important information about its survey, including methodology such as whether the data is weighted or averaged, and how qualitative feedback sways results.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Look for a silhouette that has a little movement, like this wide-leg pair, for a cropped hemline that sways above loafers, sneakers, and ballet flats.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
That sways decisions from time-to-time.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Coogan stretches his massive wingspan and sways to the music as the on-air countdown ticks toward zero.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026
As the two hugged, Hayley flashed a strip of sonogram photos at the camera as the couple smiles and sways in the sunlight.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
From leathery leaves to porcupine-like seedheads to foliage that sways gracefully, perennials offer all kinds of engaging winter interest.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2025
Winter’s vocal presence imagines a fearless indie oddball like Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus going for the full prattling gusto of the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger; the band tussles and sways exhilaratingly underfoot.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sways
Noun
-
Through intimate observational footage, letters read in voiceover, archival footage of their lives before the war, De Pue shows the devastating and lasting effects of war on the lives of the protagonists.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Pistole also warned that extended shutdowns can have permanent and lasting effects on the workforce.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Iranian-American Sara Mardanbigi and husband Edgar Rico operate one of the best restaurants in Austin, with Persian influences showing up in the occasional dish and pop-up event.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
-
This work is my response to the Khmer body and its dance, one of the most significant influences on my practice.—
Li Qi,
Artforum,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These controls monitor hundreds of process variables and notify operators if conditions drift outside target levels.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Beyond that, these 11-oz (310-g) headphones offer more controls in a companion mobile app, and dual-device connectivity for tuning into your phone and laptop without manually switching between them.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Climate and environment California youths plead with an appeals court to hear how climate change affects their lives.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
That affects their ability to recruit and retain employees.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver’s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
-
After a moment of hesitation, Harington lurches forward and plants a passionate kiss on Turner, who responds in kind.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Champions Cup is the most prestigious club tournament in CONCACAF, the 41-nation FIFA confederation that governs soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The list includes any event that the president designates as a major disaster under the Stafford Act, which governs federal disaster relief.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The worst commercial nuclear accident in US history was contained and ultimately had only very minor health impacts on the surrounding area.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Ed tech proponents say this argument is too simplistic, and point to other analyses that find mixed or modest positive impacts from digital instruction.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
OneTeam Partners negotiates media deals and leverages players’ name, image and licensing rights.—
David Carrillo Peñaloza,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Vance Joseph’s defense in Denver is often predicated on playing certain leverages within man coverage.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sways.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sways. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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