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
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 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
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2025
As of Thursday night’s series finale in Detroit – a second consecutive Tigers’ walk-off to clinch a sweep – the Red Sox are 4-12 in one-run games.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 16 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
Iglesias will bat ninth on Sunday as the Padres look to avoid a sweep and just their second three-game losing streak of the season.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2025
As of Thursday night’s series finale in Detroit – a second consecutive Tigers’ walk-off to clinch a sweep – the Red Sox are 4-12 in one-run games.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 16 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
-
To a lesser extent, McDavid was part of Leon Draisaitl’s Rocket-winning act this season.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
-
President Trump issued an April 25 executive order requiring his administration to identify and (to the extent legally possible) eliminate anticompetitive federal regulations (in effect, ACMDs).—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 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
-
Speaking after days of Russia bombarding the Ukrainian capital and other regions with massive aerial attacks, the German chancellor said Monday that his country and other allies had lifted range restrictions.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
-
This can fluctuate depending on your kitchen and how well the oven is insulated, [but] this temperature range falls within the 'danger zone' of 40 to 140°F, where spoilage organisms can grow quickly.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
But for three years, a packed schedule kept that dream just out of reach.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
Boyd led 3-0, but erupted for six runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sweep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweep. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share