1
as in flows
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 curves
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 confines
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sweeps
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
At the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Commander Tommy Nester finds it behind the ceiling panels, brushes it off the uniforms that aren’t behind glass and sweeps it from the baseboards of the main hall.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 1 Mar. 2026
In just one week, a spectacular display of orbital mechanics will be visible to billions of people across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, as Earth's shadow sweeps across the lunar disk, triggering the onset of an awe-inspiring 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
In a 2023 city comptroller audit, out of 2,308 people caught in Mayor Adams’ homeless sweeps the previous year, only 90 people stayed in shelter for more than a single day.
—Deborah Berkman, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
Forecasters warn that the combination could bring damaging winds, large hail, and even an isolated tornado before a cold front sweeps through overnight.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Feb. 2026
Once the Moon contacts the umbra, a dark bite progressively sweeps across the lunar surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Accessible transportation options include city buses, taxis and the Las Vegas Monorail that sweeps visitors from the MGM Grand to Sahara Las Vegas.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
The mayor was still against encampment sweeps nearly a month ago, when CBS News New York showed him pictures of homeless encampments where people were shivering in the dead of winter.
—Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Aggies looking for back-to-back season sweeps Faced with the opportunity to sweep rival Texas last week, A&M folded on its own floor.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
In IconArrows pointing outwards Getty Images A blaze sweeps following Israeli bombardment on a solar farm and electricity generation facility in Lebanon's southern coastal city of Tyre on March 4, 2026.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
On at least three occasions, one or more protesters interrupted the discussion with shouts from the balcony and floor seats, demanding Newsom do something about privatized prisons and the ICE sweeps of immigrants.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The mayor subsequently announced bringing back homeless encampments sweeps, in a reversal of his previous anti-sweep stance.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
The police dogs and their handlers also put on 59 public displays and demonstrations for groups throughout Lake County, and the dogs did eight sweeps at schools to help ensure safety and interdict drug use.
—Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
The city’s homeless services department will oversee the sweeps and will use continued engagement with the people affected throughout the process.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 20 Feb. 2026
Mamdani’s predecessor, Eric Adams, touted sweeps of makeshift encampments as a centerpiece of his efforts to restore order to the city.
—Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
In the first part of the two-episode finale, audiences are introduced to Bella (Emma Halleen), a perfectly normal high school student who watches as The Beauty craze sweeps through her world.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
At the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Commander Tommy Nester finds it behind the ceiling panels, brushes it off the uniforms that aren’t behind glass and sweeps it from the baseboards of the main hall.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 1 Mar. 2026
In just one week, a spectacular display of orbital mechanics will be visible to billions of people across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, as Earth's shadow sweeps across the lunar disk, triggering the onset of an awe-inspiring 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
In a 2023 city comptroller audit, out of 2,308 people caught in Mayor Adams’ homeless sweeps the previous year, only 90 people stayed in shelter for more than a single day.
—Deborah Berkman, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
Forecasters warn that the combination could bring damaging winds, large hail, and even an isolated tornado before a cold front sweeps through overnight.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Feb. 2026
Once the Moon contacts the umbra, a dark bite progressively sweeps across the lunar surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Accessible transportation options include city buses, taxis and the Las Vegas Monorail that sweeps visitors from the MGM Grand to Sahara Las Vegas.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
The mayor was still against encampment sweeps nearly a month ago, when CBS News New York showed him pictures of homeless encampments where people were shivering in the dead of winter.
—Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
Officers continue to conduct manual and K-9 sweeps of surrounding blocks, inspecting garbage cans, vehicles and other locations where additional devices could potentially be hidden.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Aggies looking for back-to-back season sweeps Faced with the opportunity to sweep rival Texas last week, A&M folded on its own floor.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
In IconArrows pointing outwards Getty Images A blaze sweeps following Israeli bombardment on a solar farm and electricity generation facility in Lebanon's southern coastal city of Tyre on March 4, 2026.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
On at least three occasions, one or more protesters interrupted the discussion with shouts from the balcony and floor seats, demanding Newsom do something about privatized prisons and the ICE sweeps of immigrants.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The mayor subsequently announced bringing back homeless encampments sweeps, in a reversal of his previous anti-sweep stance.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
The police dogs and their handlers also put on 59 public displays and demonstrations for groups throughout Lake County, and the dogs did eight sweeps at schools to help ensure safety and interdict drug use.
—Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
The city’s homeless services department will oversee the sweeps and will use continued engagement with the people affected throughout the process.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 20 Feb. 2026
Mamdani’s predecessor, Eric Adams, touted sweeps of makeshift encampments as a centerpiece of his efforts to restore order to the city.
—Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweeps
Verb
-
Almost a third of global container shipping flows through the Suez Canal.—
Harriet Marsden,
TheWeek,
13 Mar. 2026
-
In a league of her own Adelson’s political money flows overwhelmingly to Republicans.—
Philip Jankowski
Austin Bureau,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Representing a departure from the artist’s preferred medium of wood, the monument curves outward from a narrow base, its vertical form and vaguely human contours seeming to emanate light, notwithstanding the material’s heft.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Groovy Baby The color combinations on this retro stripe, which curves at the will of the nail artist, are endless.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One notable feature is how often the stock has managed to bottom once the RSI drifts toward the midpoint of its range.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Debris drifts in and has nowhere to go.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Smart pills could provide doctors with new ways to access that information without putting patients through traditional scopes and sedation.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The footage inside the silicone throat was shot weeks prior; when the camera cuts to Howard, production used scopes of different lengths to indicate how far the tube may have gone down his throat.—
Marah Eakin,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the Coast Starlight approaches the Bay Area, the train glides past marshlands, open water, and distant city skylines before continuing toward California’s Central Coast.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Powered by skin-loving ingredients, the formula glides on effortlessly.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dear Everything offers an antidote — the voices of visionary youth, powerful storytelling, inspirational music, and a deep devotion that opens portals to other realms.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Understandably, the private realms in which these quiet, simple moments unfolded are kept under lock and key.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When including California’s numerous local public pension systems, the total pension debt Californians are responsible for reaches nearly $270 billion.—
Mariana Trujillo,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Richard Branson’s company is the only one left helping wealthy tourists explore the outer reaches of our atmosphere via suborbital flight—with its only competitor bowing out recently, with Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin announcing in January it would be stopped its space tourism endeavors.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pro ranges and built‑ins often require higher limits for full coverage.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Ionos tops HostArmada with its wider plan ranges and prices–its VPS starts as low as $2 per month with a three-year term, which is a steal.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sweeps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweeps. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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