herd

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a typically large group of animals of one kind kept together under human control
a herd of cattle
b
: a congregation of gregarious wild animals
herds of antelopes
2
a(1)
: a group of people usually having a common bond
a herd of tourists
(2)
: a large assemblage of like things
herds of cars
b
: the undistinguished masses : crowd
isolate the individual prophets from the herdNorman Cousins
herdlike adjective

herd

2 of 2

verb

herded; herding; herds

transitive verb

1
a
: to gather, lead, or drive as if in a herd (see herd entry 1 sense 1a)
herded the children into the car
b
: to keep or move (animals) together
dogs that are trained to herd sheep
2
: to place in a group
herd us with their kindred foolsJonathan Swift

intransitive verb

1
: to assemble or move in a herd (see herd entry 1)
herding onto the subway
2
: to place oneself in a group : associate
it is desirable that young noblemen should herdSir Walter Scott

Examples of herd in a Sentence

Noun The herd grazed peacefully in the pasture. A herd of shoppers waited anxiously for the store to open. Verb The horses were herded into the corral. We left the hotel and were herded onto a bus. They herded the students into the auditorium. The commuters herded onto the train.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Louisville Zoo Director Dan Maloney said while elephants have been around for most of the zoo's history, the understanding of the species' social structure — often in herds led by a matriarch — has developed dramatically in recent years. Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 14 Mar. 2024 Biologists who have deployed those collars in research projects have identified important trends, including big-game migration corridors and the importance of maternal health in mule deer herds. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2024 The Roden herd qualifies as a CAFO, which is typically defined as livestock operations with 1,000 animal units, based on weight. Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024 Nominations also come with videos, which range from slick documentaries to extravaganzas of patriotic kitsch; in Turkmenistan’s showcase of Akhal-Teke horse breeding, stirring music plays as herds thunder across an open field and children in riding costume dance in formation. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Free-roaming herds can be spotted on the northern end of the Outer Banks in Corolla and the 4x4-only accessible neighborhood of Carova. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2024 The zoo closed the elephant exhibit to allow the calf to bond with its herd. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2024 This moment follows a pivotal scene from the story in which Mowgli escorts a herd of buffalo home after using them to kill his enemy, the tiger Shere Khan, in a stampede. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 Explore Cape Charles 20 of 20 Virginia: Assateague Island Assateague Island National Seashore stretches 37 miles along the Atlantic and is home to a herd of roaming wild horses. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
But the numbers from the historic Feb. 3 Democratic primary show there is a significant number of voters available for Haley to herd into her corner. USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024 Creating a Super Bowl ad is often like trying to herd cats. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 30 Jan. 2024 The animals were docile and easy to herd, probably because they were trained, Glass said. John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Jan. 2024 But Glass herds the tone toward comedy, teasing us to admit that Lou and Jackie’s predicament is funny. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 The living conditions in Rafah where 1.4 million internal refugees are herded and trapped are unthinkable. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 Captured by brigands, the immigrants are herded into a remote Libyan prison camp where they are tormented and tortured. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb. 2024 The menu changes regularly but every meal arrives as a four course feast designed to herd your taste buds toward a specific destination. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 11 Jan. 2024 The sturdy Lancashire Heeler — bred to help farmers herd cattle and rout out rats — has a long body and dense, short-haired coat that is typically black and tan or liver and tan. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 3 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'herd.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English heord; akin to Old High German herta herd, Middle Welsh cordd troop, Lithuanian kerdžius shepherd

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of herd was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near herd

Cite this Entry

“Herd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herd. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

herd

1 of 2 noun
1
: a number of animals of one kind kept or living together
2
: the common people

herd

2 of 2 verb
1
: to assemble or come together into a herd or group
2
: to gather, lead, or drive a herd
herd cattle
herder noun

More from Merriam-Webster on herd

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