swarms 1 of 3

Definition of swarmsnext
plural of swarm

swarms

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of swarm
1
as in flocks
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 bursts
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

swarms

3 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of swarm
as in climbs
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 swarms
Noun
Bee swarms are a natural process in which a large group of bees leaves an existing hive to start a new colony, according to Iowa State University. Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026 Meanwhile, Iran has wreaked havoc on military bases, tourist centers and data centers used by America’s largest tech giants with swarms of low-cost Shahed drones that cost between $20,000 and $50,000, according to public estimates. Samantha Subin, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026 This is a step toward being able to deploy swarms of aerial robots, much like groups of bats, to explore hazardous environments and search for survivors. Nitin Sanket, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026 Kyiv has created a layered defense against Russian drone swarms. Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026 Small UAVs now operate in swarms and at low cost. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Mar. 2026 Such swarms are commonly associated with volcanic activity, but can occur elsewhere. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026 The concept of drone swarms is taking on new significance as major militaries shift from viewing large numbers of autonomous land, sea, and air vehicles as a threat to treating them as a strategic asset. David Szondy march 22, New Atlas, 22 Mar. 2026 Even baleen whales eat swarms of tiny animals known as krill. Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
Washington swarms with health specialists. Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026 The unapologetically lurid tale of two families locked in an ever-complex cat’s cradle of class resentments and adulterous power plays also swarms with queen bees and jaw-droppingly muscular men that feel straight out of the Real Housewives playbook. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026 Launching swarms mid-air The aircraft was publicly displayed for the first time at Airshow China in Zhuhai in 2024, where Chinese broadcasters highlighted its potential military functions. Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 11 Dec. 2025 In the 13-second video, Cynthia Erivo pulls him off the pop star before security swarms him. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarms
Noun
  • Vast plazas are missing the typical throngs of faithful and tourists.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Two small tents shaded those who got there earliest, leaving throngs of fans — the rest of us — to bake in the sun as security locked our phones in pouches.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Aside from royally pissing off hordes of fans (with an average attendance of 25,048 per game, MLB turnstile spins in ’95 were down 20% compared to the league’s pre-strike mark of 31,240), the strike also coincided with a series of media shakeups.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Some are good for taking out enemy hordes, while others focus on lower shields to do more damage.
    Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Studt recommends heading over to one of Palm Beach County’s larger nature preserves, such as Cypress Creek Natural Area in Jupiter or Loxahatchee Slough in Palm Beach Gardens, to catch a glimpse of the spirited flocks.
    Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Cliff swallows are highly social and travel in large flocks.
    Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Massive crowds — estimated to be in the thousands, according to organizers — gathered in Mill Creek Park and marched through the Country Club Plaza on Saturday afternoon in the third installment of the No Kings protests.
    Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Photos highlight artist performances, fan reactions and standout moments from the Main Stage, Worldwide Stage, Megastructure, The Cove, Live Stage, UMF Radio and Oasis, with major sets from Steve Aoki, Hardwell, Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren and others drawing some of the day’s biggest crowds.
    Miami Herald newsroom, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swarms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarms. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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