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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swain
But in the new film, the unnamed swain has been replaced by a Robin Hood-style heartthrob named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a defiant group of bandits that steals from the monarchy and gives to the poor.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
The British actor finds the humor and sensitivity in his lustful swain, and his mellifluous voice is perfectly matched to Shakespeare’s prose.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 25 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
He’s never outgrown the image of himself as the swain, the young lover.
—Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Kramer, once again showing infinite tact, dissuaded the swain.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Dec. 2023
Stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth return for the fourth time as ace archer Everdeen and her pair of devoted swains, director Francis Lawrence is back for his third film, and screenwriters Peter Craig and Danny Strong mark this as their second effort.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023
The old residents remember when San Luis Rey was the second locality in the county, and the feast of San Luis (26th August) was an important epoch, with it, carreras and bades, forming the chief topic of conversation with dusky swain and maiden for miles around.
—Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2021
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
The British actor finds the humor and sensitivity in his lustful swain, and his mellifluous voice is perfectly matched to Shakespeare’s prose.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 25 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
He’s never outgrown the image of himself as the swain, the young lover.
—Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Kramer, once again showing infinite tact, dissuaded the swain.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Dec. 2023
Stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth return for the fourth time as ace archer Everdeen and her pair of devoted swains, director Francis Lawrence is back for his third film, and screenwriters Peter Craig and Danny Strong mark this as their second effort.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023
The old residents remember when San Luis Rey was the second locality in the county, and the feast of San Luis (26th August) was an important epoch, with it, carreras and bades, forming the chief topic of conversation with dusky swain and maiden for miles around.
—Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swain
Noun
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Defense rests its case Karen Read's defense team rested its case Wednesday in the Massachusetts woman's second murder trial over the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe, after contentious cross-examination of its final witness.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
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Britten is Randle's boyfriend, according to ABC-affiliate station WPVI, citing police.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
Hard and Semi-Soft Cheeses Good news for cheese lovers everywhere!—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
7 June 2025
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The online marketplace is full of fellow antique lovers selling finds that date all the way back to the 1940s.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
7 June 2025
Noun
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Draya Michele playfully teased her current beau, basketball star Jalen Green, over the fact that the athlete — who is 17 years her junior — thought that a 2000s T-Pain song was a brand new record.—
Jessica Bennett,
VIBE.com,
2 June 2025
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Her athlete beau, meanwhile, showed off his typically flashy style, rocking a black-and-white, boldly patterned top and a black hat to match.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Pippen’s next big headline-making relationship was with another younger suitor, Marcus Jordan.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2025
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Composure, balance and athleticism were all evident in a performance that emboldened his suitors to arrange pitches in the days that followed.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Honorable Dame Ardern now serves as a fellow at Harvard University.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
12 June 2025
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In walks a fellow who can sing and dance, who can memorize a script backward and forward in a few days, and who absolutely looks the part – but who can’t act it, not really.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Kim Ng, who became the first female GM in the history of major North American men’s pro team sports when the Miami Marlins hired her to run the team’s baseball operations in 2020, is taking on a new challenge: building softball’s version of the WNBA.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
6 June 2025
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The two men were friends and allies, but only to a point.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swain. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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