swarm 1 of 3

swarm

2 of 3

verb (1)

1
as in to flock
to move upon or fill (something) in great numbers meeting little resistance, the pirates swarmed the decks of the merchant ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied at this time of year that Mexican resort swarms with college students on spring break

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

swarm

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to climb
to move (as up or over something) often with the help of the hands in holding or pulling one of the physical challenges had competitors swarming over a pile of logs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 swarm
Noun
Earth’s swarms of artificial satellites, for example, slightly change the amount of sunlight our planet blocks during a transit but not enough to even be detectable from Mars. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 27 Feb. 2025 Scientists have been closely monitoring the earthquake swarm occurring between the islands of Santorini and Amorgos, and the two volcanoes in the area. Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
Predation by humans, however, was another matter: Locals would swarm the beach—a human arribada of sorts—poaching millions of turtle eggs, which were prized as aphrodisiacs, loading the eggs into trucks to sell at market and destroying close to 90 percent of the nests in the process. Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025 The company’s tools can also help pilot autonomous vehicles ranging from one-way attack drones to F-16s, and support swarming operations. Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for swarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarm
Noun
  • Doctors want a different message Dr. Manan Trivedi, an internist practicing in greater Washington D.C. area, was among the throngs of people who attended Kennedy’s contentious confirmation hearings to oppose his nomination.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
  • As gunshots rained down and throngs of terrified parade-goers ran in all directions, Dr. David Baum rushed to render aid.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, a flock of brand-new exemptions to the state’s open-records laws are clustered at the gates of the state Legislature, fueled by support that’s often bipartisan and likely to pass.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025
  • None of the birds from the flock have entered the food system, according to the Mississippi board.
    Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou broke the mould by creating the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, a funky format with an immersive set-up designed to create crowd interaction that dances to the tune of the digital age.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Outside were a crowd of officers and a line of Baltimore County Police cars and motorcycles.
    Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In the decades that followed, hordes of white college students flocked to The Strip, the stretch of A1A between Las Olas and Sunrise boulevards, and piled into motels.
    Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
  • But this image of Viking hordes embarking on sea voyages with the sole purpose of pillaging is changing with new discoveries that reveal extensive trade networks spanning Europe and beyond.
    Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarm. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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