sway 1 of 2

noun

ˈswā How to pronounce sway (audio)
Definition of swaynext
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

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the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities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

sway

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sway contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sway are authority, command, control, dominion, jurisdiction, and power. While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

When can authority be used instead of sway?

The meanings of authority and sway largely overlap; however, authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

In what contexts can command take the place of sway?

While in some cases nearly identical to sway, command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

When would control be a good substitute for sway?

In some situations, the words control and sway are roughly equivalent. However, control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

When could dominion be used to replace sway?

The synonyms dominion and sway are sometimes interchangeable, but dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

When is jurisdiction a more appropriate choice than sway?

The words jurisdiction and sway are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

When is it sensible to use power instead of sway?

The words power and sway can be used in similar contexts, but power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

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 sway
Noun
At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, then-White House chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci joined state and local health authorities to hold powerful sway over Americans’ daily affairs and quality of life. —John Scott Lewinski, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025 Venezuelans make up almost one-third of the city’s electorate and hold significant sway in local elections. —Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
That decision may be one of the first indications whether Hollywood would be swayed by the latest encroachment on LGBTQ rights in the country or whether the financial upside of shooting in Hungary would prove too appealing. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2025 Several small non-aligned parties captured the rest of the seats and will be easily swayed to give the presidential contest winner a working majority, said Sebastian Hurtado, a political risk consultant based in Quito. —Carrie Kahn, NPR, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sway
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sway
  1. influence
  2. leverage
  3. power
  4. affect
  5. lurch
  6. govern
  7. effect
  8. control
Noun
  • Chambon said the late pope led the Catholic Church with humility and simplicity and that this will be, ultimately, part of his enduring global message and influence.
    — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The new finding not only offers fascinating clues into the culture of gladiatorial combat but also highlights the astonishingly far-reaching influence of the Roman Empire.
    — Gayoung Lee, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of influence
Noun
  • While most of the market is still chasing sales through cold outreach or aggressive ad spend, the real winners are building leverage through smarter, aligned and scalable partnerships.
    — Henry McIntosh, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Many of the softest housing markets, where homebuyers have gained leverage, are located in Sun Belt regions of the Gulf Coast and Mountain West.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of leverage
Noun
  • Hugo saw that something as simple as shoes could be solved with the right approach and insights, cementing his belief in the power of technology to solve real-world problems.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Earlier this month, it was revealed that Massive Entertainment's ambitious action-adventure game would be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, which speaks well about the raw graphical power of Nintendo's new hybrid console.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of power
Verb
  • In court, the judge cautioned prosecutors to remind Bondi and others that public statements could affect the jury selection process.
    — Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • In some cases, those products haven’t been affected yet because of existing inventory.
    — Jim Wang, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of affect
Verb
  • My stomach dropped as my seat lurched backwards, pointing me towards the shoreline.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • As the war lurched into its fourth year, Russian losses of tanks, fighting vehicles and other heavy equipment had exceeded 20,000, according to the analysts at the Oryx intelligence collective, which confirms each loss with imagery from the front line.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • The President’s ironclad hegemony had become a pathetic circus of blunders until the IMF deal, threatening to prove campaign predictions of amateurism and incapacity to govern true, just as the campaign for the midterm elections gets under way.
    — Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The announcement follows a change in U.S. customs regulations governing which items need to be formally declared upon entering the country.
    — Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of govern
Noun
  • That kind of knowledge production has, in effect, been automated.
    — D. Graham Burnett, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Louisiana Louisiana’s law went into effect Jan. 1 requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, but the state hasn't issued guidance on what documentation residents need.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of effect
Noun
  • The Hanged Man asks you to fully surrender control and embrace this chapter of stillness.
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2025
Definition of control

Browse Nearby Words

swatting
sway
swayed
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Cite this Entry

“Sway.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sway. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sway

Nglish: Translation of sway for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sway

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