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outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities
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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
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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?"
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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
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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
Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 24 Dec. 2025
But for now, a rough consensus seems to hold sway.
—Jonathan Zimmerman, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
In some families, one sibling may be in closer contact with her parent or been more involved in her financial affairs and personal affairs and could sway the parent into signing documents.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sway
Noun
At a time when few women held sway in Tinseltown, Wood insisted on choosing her own roles, demanding equal pay to her male costars, and negotiating ownership stakes in her films.
—Verb
The little tooth plant swayed in the breeze.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for sway
Noun
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Here’s everything to know about her mental health history and the religious influence that allegedly distorted her beliefs.—
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The band had a range of influences, from blues and psychedelia, to country, folk and blues.—
Noun
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The United States certainly has plenty of leverage to press Caracas to free the handful of Americans that remain in its custody — such as 28-year-old James Luckey-Lange, who was taken after entering the country in December.—
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These agreements require deep expertise in risk allocation, finance and long-term contract enforcement, areas where private developers often have far greater resources and leverage than municipalities.—
Noun
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The experience also reinforced Madsen’s belief in the power of social media.—
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Mophie's power bank has the functionality of a wireless MagSafe connection, with the convenience of a stand.—
Verb
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Driving through deep water can also negatively affect a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
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But law enforcement experts told CNN the dragging incident last summer could have affected his decision-making – though how such an experience impacts law enforcement varies from officer to officer.—
Verb
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This can result in a kind of emotional whiplash, with the tone of the videos lurching between joy and devastation.—
-
Perry’s films can lurch from romance to madcap Madea comedy to skeletons-in-the-closet family drama and back…all in the space of 20 minutes.—
Verb
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The governing body for soccer in Ireland voted Saturday to call for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to suspend Israel from competition.—
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Internationally, world football’s governing body FIFA fined England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for their use of the poppy to mark Remembrance Day in 2016, deeming it to be a political symbol.—
Noun
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The existing program was implemented in 2024 and is in effect for two years.—
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As well as testing the various systems on board, the crew will be test subjects themselves, helping Nasa understand the effects that space travel has on their cognition, sleep, stress, immune responses and cardiovascular health.—
Noun
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As the Palisades Fire burned out of control under hurricane-force winds, some residents chose to stay and fight, like Cort Wagner.—
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Later attention turned to flood control after a hurricane in the 1920s caused Lake Okeechobee to overflow, killing thousands.—
Cite this Entry
“Sway.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sway. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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