1
as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
the wind swept across the plain without respite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course
from this point the mountain range sweeps to the northeast and extends into the next state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scope
an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends
Mrs. Griswold has been a teacher for so long that the sweep of her influence extends across three generations of the townspeople
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
some priceless works of literature were swept away when the library at Alexandria burned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sweep
Alana Wise, NPR, 30 May 2025
Around the same time the fire swept through Nottoway, a tree fell and destroyed part of a Confederate museum in North Carolina — an eerie coincidence that felt almost symbolic.
—Jameelah Nasheed, Essence, 29 May 2025
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 May 2025
The Braves are still just 2-12 in games against the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers this season, including sweeps by both teams during Atlanta’s 0-7 season-opening trip to Southern California.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sweep
Verb
Thick, billowing clouds of smoke are sweeping south from wildfires ravaging the central Canadian province of Manitoba into parts of the United States, compromising air quality for millions of Americans across several northern states.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 30 May 2025
Around the same time the fire swept through Nottoway, a tree fell and destroyed part of a Confederate museum in North Carolina — an eerie coincidence that felt almost symbolic.
—Jameelah Nasheed, Essence, 29 May 2025
Noun
Taylor Clarke closed the door in relief to earn the save and help the Royals avoid a series sweep.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 May 2025
The Braves are still just 2-12 in games against the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers this season, including sweeps by both teams during Atlanta’s 0-7 season-opening trip to Southern California.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sweep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweep
Noun
-
Court of Common Pleas Judge Stephen Corr said the lawsuit was beyond the scope of state law.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
30 May 2025
-
His role, while technically unpaid and temporary, grew in both scope and influence—often bypassing traditional bureaucratic channels.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
New York, Illinois, and California each enacted one or some of these measures last year; there’s been movement in a similar direction, albeit to differing extents, in Connecticut, Maryland, Kansas, Hawaii, Washington State, and Oregon.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
6 June 2025
-
That would be an 18% decline from the same period last year, equating to by far the weakest quarterly deliveries growth since at least 2015, the extent of quarterly delivery data available on Tesla’s investor relations website.—
Derek Saul,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
More definitively, the company has made significant progress across the realms of healthcare delivery and life sciences through use-cases such as advancing protein structure prediction models, optimizing medical imaging LLMs and even progressing with VR technology.—
Dr. Sai Balasubramanian,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
-
In that realm, the Padres have fared very well, not just this year but since 2021.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
At O’Neill Burke’s request, Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans granted her prosecutors rapid access to a far broader range of records on criminal defendants than had long been the case.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
-
Russia’s claim comes days after its forces advanced further in the northern Sumy region, bringing the region’s capital within range of drones and artillery.—
Kosta Gak,
CNN Money,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Two balls just out of left fielder Brandon Lockridge’s reach got the Giants two more runs in the sixth.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 June 2025
-
While green-card holders and immediate family members of U.S. citizens remain exempt from the travel ban, the practical effect is clear: For countless Venezuelan Americans, family reunification is once again out of reach.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sweep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweep. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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