1
as in influence
the power to bring about a result on another
under the sway of euphoria, she offered to take us all out to dinner in celebration of her new job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leverage
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly
outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in power
the right or means to command or control others
a time when Rome held sway over a vast empire that stretched from Britain to the Near East
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to influence
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?"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lurch
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the way the ski lift was swaying in the wind made me nervous
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to govern
archaic
to exercise authority or power over
an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sway
Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The Constitution also makes the president the commander in chief of the nation's armed forces, giving him significant sway over the use of the military.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 24 June 2025
Idaho Statesman, 22 July 2025
This could have swayed people on social media, but that doesn’t normally impact fighter’s opinions.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sway
Noun
Instead, the two Americans who held sway over the popular story of Texas from the 1820s to the 1860s and who lent their names to those large cities.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The Constitution also makes the president the commander in chief of the nation's armed forces, giving him significant sway over the use of the military.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 24 June 2025
Verb
And as the administrative district judge who sets the judicial rules for the region and helps assign the capital city’s cases, Hippler has sway over who gets picked, Idaho courts spokesperson Nate Poppino told the Idaho Statesman, despite the judge’s public umbrage about receiving the assignment.
—Idaho Statesman, 22 July 2025
This could have swayed people on social media, but that doesn’t normally impact fighter’s opinions.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sway
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sway
Noun
-
Yoon said the martial law declaration, which the National Assembly rescinded after six hours, was necessary to fight North Korean influence among opponents to his leadership in the South Korean government.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
-
Many analysts see the dispute as a test of which superpower has more influence in this strategic part of Southeast Asia; the U.S., which conducts joint military exercises with Thailand, or China, which is the biggest trading partner of both Cambodia and Thailand.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Seems like any time an MLB owner seeks leverage in negotiations with a current city, Nashville gets mentioned as a prospective home.—
Gentry Estes,
The Tennessean,
26 July 2025
-
This diversification gives India leverage, both at the negotiating table and in navigating global economic shocks.—
Mavis Mook,
CNBC,
25 July 2025
Noun
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The storms also caused widespread power outages across the region.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
30 July 2025
-
Trump has the power to pardon Maxwell or to commute her sentence.—
Aysha Bagchi,
The Courier-Journal,
30 July 2025
Verb
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That won’t impact students who were already enrolled in their schools, but could affect new and transferring students.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
31 July 2025
-
Performance was only marginally affected, but the lack of a V8 had altered the vehicle’s character.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Verb
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But that’s not enough opposition to stop CPS from lurching substantially further toward insolvency if Harden and interim school Superintendent Macquline King choose that route.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 July 2025
-
Like Germany after the defeat of Hitler, Argentina lurched back and forth between judging its past crimes and trying to move beyond them.—
Julia M. Klein,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
The same principles that govern resilient pipelines showed up in how Astronomer managed the public narrative.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
-
However, experts question whether such repeals will withstand scrutiny under the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs the legal process for rescinding rules.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
Noun
-
The advisory is in effect from July 29-31, with the central and western UP currently seeing unhealthy air quality levels.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
31 July 2025
-
If its future American ownership therefore wants to retrench to Hollywood fare, sources raised concerns that 5 could become something of a shop window for Paramount+, in effect a return to those American import days.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
31 July 2025
Noun
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Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.—
Oli Gamp,
New York Times,
23 July 2025
-
And in today’s digital world, even a small mistake—intentional or not—can quickly spiral out of control and damage trust.—
Maria Trochimezuk,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sway.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sway. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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