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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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the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly outdated attitudes that still hold sway in some communities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
Its occupant holds huge sway in shaping the global sporting landscape and narrative, wields extraordinary political clout, and presides over a multi-billion-dollar budget. —Aleks Klosok, CNN, 20 Mar. 2025 Perhaps Trump genuinely wants to aid Putin, either because the Kremlin leader really has some direct sway over him or Trump simply admires the despot and his consolidation of power. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
On top of having massive amounts of talent, Maggie remains loyal to Liza throughout the series, never revealing her secrets or swaying her mind during the ongoing triangular love saga. —Lisa Stardust, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Structural beams, columns and slabs held up, despite extreme shaking and swaying of some high-rises. —Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 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
  • That economic footprint is matched by political and organizational influence.
    — Ronak D. Desai, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • When a 1999 Top 100 list by a gay and lesbian publishing group failed to include Patricia Nell-Warren’s 1974 novel The Front Runner, many readers loudly objected, noting its influence on their own coming-out journeys.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of influence
Noun
  • Federal District Judge Dale E. Ho last week dismissed the charges against Mr. Adams with prejudice, meaning prosecutors can no longer revisit them, reducing the administration’s leverage to force the mayor to do its bidding.
    — Jeffery C. Mays, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Your consultants will highlight such risks to PE firms, providing leverage in negotiations and ensuring compliance post-acquisition.
    — David Van Ronk, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of leverage
Noun
  • Because a bat has a thick barrel and rotates when swung, its motion and power depend on the distribution of weight across the entire shaft, not just in one spot.
    — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of power
Verb
  • The precise extent of the cancellations and the specific products affected remain unclear.
    — Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The bill's requirement to show proof of citizenship in person would affect millions more voters who do have the documentation but register by mail or online, the Brennan Center said.
    — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of affect
Verb
  • But the ruling did little to herald any political stability in the country, which has lurched from crisis to crisis.
    — Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
  • For the last six weeks, Americans have been yanked and ghosted, lurched and launched with a merciless urgency.
    — Philip Elliott, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • Any kind of responsible management would require unprecedented international cooperation, potentially including a new multinational body to govern geoengineering.
    — Brett Simpson, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Its governing body is a Board of Regents, whose members include the Vice President, the Chief Justice of the United States, three Senators, three Representatives and nine citizens.
    — Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of govern
Noun
  • In China's case, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN the 34% reciprocal tariff that was announced is in addition to a 20% tariff on Chinese goods that is already in effect.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The tariffs set to go into effect on Thursday, April 3, 2025, will alter trade arrangements that were established shortly after the end of WWII in 1947.
    — Rohit Arora, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of effect
Noun
  • The Department of Transportation was notified to conduct traffic control.
    — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2025
  • As a protégé of Harry Anslinger, the notorious anti-drug zealot at the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Wolff was part of the inner circle of control advocates that virtually dictated WHO policy at the time.
    — Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 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 16 Apr. 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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