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

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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
Bodies were found throughout the building, some stacked on top of one another, with swarms of bugs and decomposition fluid covering the floors, investigators said. Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026 Bodies were found throughout the building, some stacked on top of each other, with swarms of bugs and decomposition fluid covering the floors, investigators said. Maria Braganini, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026 The future jet is expected to coordinate swarms of uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft that can carry extra sensors or weapons. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026 There were swarms of bugs and maggots. Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026 The three quarks that form protons only contribute a minuscule amount of mass—the other 99 percent is thought to arise from interactions between these real quarks and swarms of virtual quarks in the vacuum. Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026 Thus, if there aren’t AI bot swarms, no one needs to worry about the trauma and terror that AI bot swarms could produce. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Mueller says that's where the robots come in – swarms of them. Kira Wakeam, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024 Drones reported to be flying in swarms The drones are moving in swarms, said New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, citing statements made by the DHS to New Jersey legislators, the Asbury Park Press reported. George Petras, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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
  • The 59-year-old grumbled that gladhanding throngs of supporters in dusty villages had left him prey to bugs and viruses.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
  • More than twenty‑five thousand people crowded into Shibe Park, including throngs of young people who made the gathering feel more like a festival than a political convention.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Expect hordes of people on weekends during prime daytime hours, and likely a short to moderate wait around noon even on weekdays.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Each booth offered a brief refuge from the hordes moving steadily through the aisles.
    Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • However, in the meantime, those with flocks in their yards or at the commercial level are encouraged to take extra precautions to try and make sure their flocks cannot be contaminated.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
  • In fact, some flocks overwinter as far north as Canada.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Located some 60 miles north of Los Angeles near the city of Lancaster, California, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve draws crowds from mid-February through early May to marvel at this state park’s California poppies.
    Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
  • This weekend, Super Bowl crowds are descending on San Francisco for the first time in ten years—and the timing couldn’t be more apt.
    Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swarms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swarms. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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