as in lilting
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1
as in affecting
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 lurching
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 governing
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
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Recent Examples of swaying
Anna Haines, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2025
Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
With Crow leading the verses, the other artists wrapped their arms around each other, swaying and singing.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 24 Nov. 2025
Another key feature of the new design is its 3-degree-of-freedom waist, which allows the robot to perform human-like movements such as bending, twisting, and side-swaying with precision.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Riccardo’s performance encapsulates that frustration and jubilation, carrying the film on his charming, swaying shoulders.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Could her body handle the hip-swaying, leg-kicking, and straight-up flying through the air?
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Sep. 2025
Bean's performance, complete with a gospel choir, got the whole room on its feet, clapping, swaying, singing and cheering.
—Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Sep. 2025
Yet somehow, in a medium of heavy copper, Fischl captures the lithe, swaying, physical vitality of Ashe, as well as the high-mindedness of the man who was so committed to social causes.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
Bamboo basket boats swirl through the Bay Mau nipa palm forest—their skippers casting nets in the shade of swaying fronds.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Nov. 2025
Some people kept watching and swaying and moving.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
From swaying trims to plush bags and scarves, warmth and whimsy can be found with Dries Van Noten’s pumps, Gucci’s tote bag, and Cos’s woolly hat.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 9 Nov. 2025
Two friends wrapped their arms around each other next to me, swaying in an embrace.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
Deborah Lavioletta, a lifelong Detroiter and 73-year-old pharmaceutical representative, was seated on a media podium, swaying to the music behind two younger women dancing enthusiastically at a cocktail table.
—Dana Afana, Freep.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Quarterback Mahomes was seen standing mostly still, swaying a bit with his hands behind his back during the anthem.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
In 2023, House Republicans held hearings on the companies' roles in swaying votes around environmental, social and governance investing.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Think endless beaches, warm breezes, swaying palm trees, and sunny skies.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
As the sun set below blush clouds, the gently swaying crowd matched the R&B singer’s sultry energy.
—Noun
That’s why, in Wicked onstage, there is a giant dragon above the proscenium that activates at the very beginning of the show, roaring and swaying.
—Verb
And some people kept watching and swaying and moving.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for swaying
Adjective
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The track is one of the shortest on the EP but the most concise, composed simply of guitar, strings, Tems’ lilting falsetto, and sparse backing vocals.—
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The second violins introduce the second movement with a soft, lilting quality, creating music that’s elegant and musically complex.—
Noun
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Careers involving children, healing, cooking, interior design, real estate, food content, wellness, and lifestyle influencing thrive.—
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Since then, her career has expanded far beyond the brand, evolving into styling, influencing, and creative direction.—
Verb
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Both types of flour should be stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container to prevent moisture and pests from affecting the flour.—
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Heavy snow has been affecting Washington since earlier this week, with the biggest accumulations reported on mountains, according to the National Weather Service field office in Seattle.—
Verb
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The midterm blue wave backlash is gathering, with the generic ballot lurching in the Democrats' favor and Trump’s popularity cratering.—
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After 40 days, the longest government shutdown in American history finally appears to be lurching toward an end.—
Verb
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Smith maintained many of the gifts cited by Cannon fell under exceptions to the disclosure rules, including those governing charity event tickets and gifts for birthdays or holidays.—
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Or at least the craziest until Malinin began doing on ice back flips during the 2024-25 season after the International Skating Union, the sport’s global governing body, lifted a ban on the stunt.—
Adjective
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The musical movies have received critical acclaim, and the second film earned five total nominations at this year's Globes — one more than the 2025 Golden Globes.—
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Other late-night shows have similarly reduced their musical acts in recent years.—
Noun
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Thanks to the miracle of intellectual property, free-enterprise and the prompting of a brilliant record executive, this unlikely collaboration brought together artists and professionals from very different walks of life—shattering geographic, racial, age and faith boundaries.—
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All of them gave concerning answers with minimal prompting.—
Verb
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Restaurants such as Jacques and Noisette were impressing diners with caviar, duck and baguettes.—
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Parents might also consider that their teen could be removing body hair in the hopes of impressing a crush, which is why this also could be an opening to talk about safe sex and reproductive health.—
Cite this Entry
“Swaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaying. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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