swarm 1 of 3

noun

ˈswȯrm How to pronounce swarm (audio)
Definition of swarmnext
as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together a swarm of tourists descends upon the island every summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
In Tennessee, a pickup truck carrying about 1 million bees overturned near Knoxville in April, unleashing a swarm that blanketed the crash scene. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026 Every wedding, every cherry blossom season in Japan, every birth, reactor accidents too, swarms of insects, kittens playing with woolen balls, people disfigured by war, palm trees at sunset—five billion photos a day. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Verb
Think your back yard can get buggy in the summer—with mosquitoes, flies, moths, wasps, bees, lightning bugs, crickets, and more swarming, buzzing, and chirping everywhere? — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 June 2026 Nesting mothers can be more defensive, and reaching her meant bushwhacking through dense vegetation with mosquitoes swarming for blood. — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for swarm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarm
  1. throng
  2. flock
  3. burst
  4. climb
  5. crowd
  6. buzz
  7. scramble
  8. horde
Noun
  • Tour guides in tricorn hats and colonial garb brought throngs of tourists to sites along the Freedom Trail, including the Granary Burying Ground, the Old North Church, and Paul Revere’s home.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Tomorrow may be even more surreal, with another day of oppressive heat and throngs of tourists in town to see what the president has billed as the biggest fireworks display in human history.
    — Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • The siblings dominated the sport for decades and fans will once again flock to SW19 to see the two living legends in action.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • No strike date has been announced as of yet, but the vote arrives at the start of summer, the time of year when New York museums typically see their highest attendance as vacationers flock to the city from around the world.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 30 June 2026
Definition of flock
Verb
  • However, the extravagant nature of such spending appears to be a bubble that has now burst, especially given the obvious failure to build a domestic talent pool.
    — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • When fire crews arrived on scene, the fire had consumed multiple rooms and had burst through the roof of one of the three hotel buildings.
    — Bryce Buyakie, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of burst
Verb
  • The typical age of a first-time buyer climbed to 40, an all-time high.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Facing growing criticism over military restrictions in disaster zones, Venezuela’s interim government on Thursday defended its decision to militarize the state of La Guaira as the death toll from last week’s earthquakes climbed to 2,595.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of climb
Noun
  • The plebeians have plenty to be furious about, but their representatives, skilled at turning a crowd into a mob, seem hellbent on shoring up their own influence.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Large-scale events involve tabletop exercises with law enforcement, fire departments, emergency managers and venue officials running through countless scenarios — evacuations, suspicious packages, drones and crowd surges.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of crowd
Verb
  • For the most recent earnings season, these forecasting fruit flies buzzed around modeling 12% earnings growth for the quarter.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • As the train approaches Portland, the view shifts again, with bridges, waterways, and buzzing streets.
    — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
Definition of buzz
Verb
  • Nigeria’s leading opposition parties are scrambling to fight a growing number of lawsuits that are threatening their capacity to mount a credible challenge in January’s presidential elections.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 6 July 2026
  • Countries are scrambling not to fall behind in AI — and French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are leading a personal charm offensives to court tech CEOs.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz,Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 4 July 2026
Definition of scramble
Noun
  • With plenty of nervous energy, hordes of United States fans packed into KC Live!
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026
  • And now, Swift’s fans are set to descend on the city, accompanied by hordes of media who until recently had little to no concrete information about the hush-hush affair.
    — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
Definition of horde

Browse Nearby Words

swards
swarm
swarmed
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Cite this Entry

“Swarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarm. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of swarm for Spanish Speakers

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