SWAYS Synonyms: 179 Similar and Opposite Words

sways 1 of 2

noun

plural of sway

as in effects

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in influences

the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in controls

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sways

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of sway

as in affects

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lurches

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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as in governs

archaic to exercise authority or power over an epic novel set in the days when Rome swayed the Western world

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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 sways

Verb

The main road home is closed, so players must detour through a wild valley full of hills, rivers and angry wildlife, while the janky physics turn every bump into potential disaster as the RV sways, tips and flips with ease. — Jason Bennett, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026 As the water sways and the flowers blow, 120 wooden crosses now line the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. — Marissa Armas, CBS News, 30 June 2026 In its dynamic equilibrium, our system sways like a grand old tree in the wind. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Republican political consultants are skeptical that Paxton’s place on the ballot sways the needle for Democrats. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026 Now the castle is in ruins (though with explanatory signage), with hiking paths, a museum, and a 1,200-foot pedestrian suspension bridge that sways 300 feet above the valley floor. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026 One big question now, Thomas says, is whether a tie-up with a paragon of fast-fashion alienates Everlane's current clientele — or sways Shein shoppers to trade up. — Alina Selyukh, NPR, 22 May 2026 Biff shouts at him at the show’s excruciating climax) sways between light and dark, between the road and the deadly shoulder, advancing through his last hours on earth as if through the stations of the cross. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026 Sunday's vote was seen as a key test of whether the EU member nation stays on its liberal course or sways toward the right. — ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sways

Noun

Semax, a peptide containing seven amino acids, has been studied for its potential effects on the central nervous system.

— Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
The researchers can finely adjust the final temperature by balancing the two effects.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026

Definition of effects

Noun

Brown is a creative and curious cook, and is constantly dabbling in cultural influences to keep things fresh.

— Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
The Little Chartroom has become a chic dining destination with Nordic influences and tasting menus full of Scottish flavors, while sister restaurant Ardfern offers a more relaxed but equally delicious all-day dining experience.

— Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of influences

Noun

Beijing has appointed its own senior monks, maintained close surveillance and controls on religious expression, and faced allegations of cracking down on peaceful dissent and forcing the large-scale relocation of rural and nomadic Tibetans.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Any information placed on this secondary display had to be available on the regular screen, and any controls available had to be available elsewhere.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of controls

Verb

If a financial crisis affects the euro, the six European countries that don't use the euro will be spared from the brunt of it.

— Preeti Shivani, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026
Researchers have documented that weightlessness affects many parts of the digestive system, from the mouth to the intestines.

— Sundeep Venkatesan, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of affects

Verb

The film unhurriedly lurches from one markedly similar fight scene to the next, with only Skeletor’s occasional injections of ripe innuendo to liven them up a bit.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 June 2026
By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026

Definition of lurches

Verb

Congress has not passed a farm bill — a legislative package normally done every five years that governs agricultural and food programs — since 2018.

— Justin Papp, CNBC, 30 July 2026
Christopherson said the wider drop-off defies the simple currency logic that normally governs foreign buying behavior.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 July 2026

Definition of governs

Noun

The minimum sustainability standards CPHFW introduced in 2020 were ahead of their time, forcing brands to tackle their environmental and social impacts in order to continue showing on schedule.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 31 July 2026
The asteroid, which takes its name from the Egyptian deity of chaos, will be seen and heard, but the only impacts will be on science and planetary defense.

— Andrew Jones, Scientific American, 30 July 2026

Definition of impacts

Noun

According to Archer, Halo leverages technologies refined through nearly eight years of electric aircraft research and testing.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 July 2026
Another loophole Trump leverages to achieve his all-encompassing power grab is the National Emergencies Act.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 9 June 2026

Definition of leverages

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“Sways.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sways. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sways

noun

verb

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