as in influenced
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1
as in affected
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
how can you not be swayed by that precious kitten, meowing as if to say, "Please take me home with you?"
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2
as in lurched
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the way the ski lift was swaying in the wind made me nervous
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3
as in ruled
archaic
to exercise authority or power over
an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world
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Recent Examples of swayed
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
As fans stood for the opening run, a sprawling 23-piece backing ensemble — including six band members, eight backing vocalists plus returning Church muse Joanna Cotten, and a mini-orchestra with four horns and four strings — some swayed.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
When betting on a startup’s future potential, Graham is typically more swayed by his impression of its founders than the idea behind their business, the co-founder of startup accelerator Y Combinator wrote in a series of posts on social media platform X on August 10.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 18 Aug. 2025
Business executives, at least some, are less swayed by the hype and more level-headed about the costs and benefits of using AI.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies' management decisions, efficiency and financials.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 1 June 2026
But their farm system is too thin, and Gustafsson too good, to be overly swayed by that variable, even if I would be tempted to take a forward here.
—Corey Pronman, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Although the use of quantum sensors is increasing, quantum states are delicate and can be swayed easily.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
Batting averages can be swayed drastically one way or another in small sample sizes like that, but another alarming aspect of the Cubs’ woes with runners in scoring position is their strikeouts.
—Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
Shareholders weren’t swayed by an expansion of investor rewards, including a massive increase to the company’s dividend.
—Ian King, Fortune, 20 May 2026
During my March visit, the days were chilly, but the sun was shining, and the cherry blossoms swayed gently in the breeze.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
But during the aufguss ceremony at BASIN Glacial Waters, people smiled and laughed and swayed to the music, and Kyan’s dance-like towel moves distracted me from the discomfort of the heat.
—Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
Adjective
Most teams, in fact, decided from the start that pitchers were not in the best position and were liable to be too emotionally swayed to be entrusted with ABS challenges.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
As fans stood for the opening run, a sprawling 23-piece backing ensemble — including six band members, eight backing vocalists plus returning Church muse Joanna Cotten, and a mini-orchestra with four horns and four strings — some swayed.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
When betting on a startup’s future potential, Graham is typically more swayed by his impression of its founders than the idea behind their business, the co-founder of startup accelerator Y Combinator wrote in a series of posts on social media platform X on August 10.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 18 Aug. 2025
Business executives, at least some, are less swayed by the hype and more level-headed about the costs and benefits of using AI.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Verb
My frustration is partly with the quality of content from the AI models, but mainly with people who are swayed by the eloquent language and don’t consider what’s being said.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies' management decisions, efficiency and financials.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 1 June 2026
But their farm system is too thin, and Gustafsson too good, to be overly swayed by that variable, even if I would be tempted to take a forward here.
—Corey Pronman, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Although the use of quantum sensors is increasing, quantum states are delicate and can be swayed easily.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
Batting averages can be swayed drastically one way or another in small sample sizes like that, but another alarming aspect of the Cubs’ woes with runners in scoring position is their strikeouts.
—Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
Shareholders weren’t swayed by an expansion of investor rewards, including a massive increase to the company’s dividend.
—Ian King, Fortune, 20 May 2026
During my March visit, the days were chilly, but the sun was shining, and the cherry blossoms swayed gently in the breeze.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
But during the aufguss ceremony at BASIN Glacial Waters, people smiled and laughed and swayed to the music, and Kyan’s dance-like towel moves distracted me from the discomfort of the heat.
—Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swayed
Verb
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But Serna and his coaches were also influenced by Kimball’s State double a year earlier.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
Over the last decade, deep political divisions have influenced the way people view the nation’s history.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Verb
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As Aden Kassaye and her mother got out to inspect the damage, Beas Solorio reportedly lurched the BMW forward, making contact with Ayalew’s torso, prompting Ayalew to slam her hands on the BMW’s hood to brace herself and yell at the driver.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
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So between those two things, the balance of gerrymanders has lurched pretty abruptly toward the right.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected lawsuits challenging several permits granted by the OPSB, but hasn't yet ruled on multiple cases brought by developers seeking to reverse an OPSB denial.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
The singer-songwriter's breakout smash has now ruled for an even 30 frames.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Mayor Brandon Johnson came to this office with something genuinely rare — authentic credibility in the communities most affected by this crisis.—
Desmon Yancy,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
-
According to Microsoft, its quantum team used agentic AI to automate complex measurements, optimize fabrication processes, analyze decades of research data, and uncover previously unnoticed problems that affected device performance.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Blue Origin officials have been able to get a closer look in recent days at the site where the company's towering New Glenn rocket exploded in a dramatic fireball that rocked Florida.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
The collapse of Swalwell’s campaign rocked the crowded race, and left room for other candidates to surge in the polls.—
Philip Wang,
Time,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Even people who know little about reptiles understand, instinctively, that crocodile territory is governed by very old rules.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Its 60 articles first governed the French Caribbean — Martinique, Guadeloupe and Saint-Domingue, today’s Haiti — and were later extended to French Guiana, Louisiana, and the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mauritius.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The people who disagree with you are reading their own custom edition, equally convinced, equally fed.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Polling, however, shows that the public is not quite convinced.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
His teammates and coaches are impressed by that, but there is something more.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
It’s been her developmental potential, paired with a veteran’s on-court demeanor, that has impressed her new teammates so far.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swayed. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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