1
as in boyfriend
a male romantic companion
a romanticized portrait of a bygone era of beauteous Southern belles and their gallant swains
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2
as in lover
a man who courts a woman usually with the goal of marrying her
Grandma claims that she had several swains pursuing her, but it was only Grandpa who won her heart
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swain
Similar to the Broadway musical, the new movie ends with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and her strawman swain Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) walking into the sunset away from Oz, after the revelation that Elphaba staged her own melting death by hiding under a trapdoor.
—
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 22 Nov. 2025
As the two lovers, Robin Wright as the comely princess and Cary Elwes as her loving swain are engaging and appealing.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
But in the new film, the unnamed swain has been replaced by a Robin Hood-style heartthrob named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a defiant group of bandits that steals from the monarchy and gives to the poor.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Science emerges as a version of the pastoral, with the physicist as swain.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
Odette is a shape-shifter, from woman to swan, under sorcerer Rothbart’s spell, only to be broken when a swain pledges true love to her—Siegfried to the rescue.
—Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Kramer, once again showing infinite tact, dissuaded the swain.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Dec. 2023
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 22 Nov. 2025
As the two lovers, Robin Wright as the comely princess and Cary Elwes as her loving swain are engaging and appealing.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
But in the new film, the unnamed swain has been replaced by a Robin Hood-style heartthrob named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a defiant group of bandits that steals from the monarchy and gives to the poor.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Science emerges as a version of the pastoral, with the physicist as swain.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
Odette is a shape-shifter, from woman to swan, under sorcerer Rothbart’s spell, only to be broken when a swain pledges true love to her—Siegfried to the rescue.
—Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Kramer, once again showing infinite tact, dissuaded the swain.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swain
Noun
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The boyfriend didn't stick, but her love of flying endures.—
Rina Nakano,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Broadway's The Rocky Horror Show star Luke Evans and boyfriend Fran Tomas celebrate the show's opening night at an afterparty on April 23 in New York City.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Made in response to a difficult breakup, the work alludes to two lovers parting ways, but also to Pau’s memories of isolation as a severely asthmatic child in a notoriously polluted city, lying in bed staring at the wall and inventing stories to distract herself from the difficulty of breathing.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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People who collect rare books are book lovers, first and foremost.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Noun
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But to our wonderful surprise, O’Hara is equally adept at slapstick hijinks, as the lustful ladies get sufficiently sozzled awaiting their mysterious beau.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
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While on a stroll around New York City with her new beau, singer Role Model, Dakota Johnson staved off the spring chill with a red barn jacket.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The airline has been a perennially unsuccessful takeover suitor of Spirit over the last several years.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
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But the Red Sox never seemed to take seriously the reports that suitors had made better offers, even when warned by Bregman’s camp.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The Highlanders all-underclass boys team lost four tiebreakers in a heartbreaking 4-3 semifinal loss against Alonso Mourning of Miami.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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Mary Brown retired after coaching boys and girls volleyball in the district for 19 years, including the past eight years with the Knights’ boys team.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Such drift was the plight of Pau and her fellow Hong Kongers.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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Richardson is a fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and partner of Richardson Ober LLP, a California law firm known for community association advice.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Two police officers talked a man off the top of the Gold Star Bridge security barrier during a mental health crisis on Sunday.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
5 May 2026
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Initially men’s Levi’s jeans and record tapes were the only items for sale.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swain. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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