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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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the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities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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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 set moves in and out, another set rolls over, and another is on a gimbal that sways as the whale moves. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 But forcing heavy steel trains onto a floating highway that rolls, sways, and shifts with the tides was widely considered an invitation to disaster. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 One combat sequence at the end is genuinely excellent because the film puts actual creative effort into staging a knife-versus-ax duel on a gangplank that sways back and forth over the water. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sways

Noun

Some opening day effects are long gone, such as the illusion created by actual shifting doors at the start of the attraction, or visions of tumbling rubble near its beginning.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
The progression from vessel impact to environmental damage is clear to see in many cases, said Brian Barnes, who is part of a group of satellite oceanographers at the University of South Florida analyzing the effects of this war from afar.

— Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of effects

Noun

Beirut's private-press scene has little in common with the studio culture of ’80s Tokyo, where an abundance of resources and technology filtered the same foreign influences into something more perfect and polished.

— Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
Over the years, his wardrobe has moved between sharp tailoring, sporty staples, and collegiate influences, with shell jackets, fleeces, wide-legged trousers, and oversized silhouettes all making regular appearances.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of influences

Verb

As an independent woman of the time, Ware was the subject of gossip, and the treatment of her body shows how social class affects even the honoring of the dead.

— Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
When a savings affects a critical control, explain what changes.

— Aliasgar Dohadwala, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of affects

Verb

Hop on the #6 double-decker from Central to Stanley beach, which lurches around Hong Kong Island's mountainous southern South China Sea coast (sit upstairs on the right-hand side).

— Lee Cobaj, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
The alternative is a region that lurches from crisis to crisis, and from one extreme to another.

— DAN RESTREPO, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of lurches

Verb

While Boise officials decide zoning and land use, ACHD governs local streets, and the Idaho Transportation Department controls State Street itself, legally a portion of State Highway 44.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
With different-sized bubbles, the experiment showed that the size of the largest bubble governs the flow direction.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of governs

Noun

Start with the community With a pragmatic and fair approach, data center infrastructure can operate from a combination of baseload fuels, battery storage, and renewables, while prioritizing community needs and impacts.

— Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Any Tesla-SpaceX merger could also get examined by global antitrust enforcers for its impacts on overseas auto, AI, and aerospace industries.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of impacts

Noun

And Soorty’s Rebellion Noir concept leverages overdyeing, creating dark, moody denim.

— Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 3 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of leverages

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Style

“Sways.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sways. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sways

noun

verb

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