1
a
: a great number of honeybees emigrating together from a hive in company with a queen to start a new colony elsewhere
b
: a colony of honeybees settled in a hive
2
a
: a large number of animate or inanimate things massed together and usually in motion : throng
swarms of sightseers
a swarm of locusts
a swarm of meteors
b
: a number of similar geologic features or phenomena close together in space or time
a swarm of dikes
an earthquake swarm
swarmed; swarming; swarms
1
: to form and depart from a hive in a swarm
2
a
: to move or assemble in a crowd : throng
b
: to hover about in the manner of a bee in a swarm
3
: to contain a swarm : teem
swarming with bugs
1
: to fill with a swarm
2
: to beset or surround in a swarm
players swarming the quarterback
swarmer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of swarm in a Sentence
Noun
a swarm of tourists descends upon the island every summer
Recent Examples on the Web
Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2024
Iran's weekend swarm of munitions and Israel's response marked the first direct exchanges of fire between the regional enemies.
—USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Trying to sleep, in patches, the wife crossed a rushing stream on stepping stones that were unsteady beneath her feet; below them, in the water, swarms of small dark sluglike creatures waited for her bare feet to slip.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Adams said she was particularly impressed with a swarm commander in a different exercise last year at Fort Moore, Georgia, who single-handedly managed a 45-drone swarm over 2.5 hours with just 20 minutes of training.
—Frank Bajak, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
There is a difference between a swarm of cells and a swarm of birds.
—Quanta Magazine, 28 Mar. 2024
Or, even simpler: swarms of flying digital projectors could have broadcasted the footage on the sides of buildings and walls for all to see.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024
Aftershocks are not to be confused with swarms, which are sequences of small earthquakes associated with geothermal activity with no identifiable mainshock.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Next to him, a swarm of servers placed several accoutrements next to it, including harissa oil, garlic-tahini salt and fresh herbs.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024
Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
But in the early hours of April 6, 2022, police officers and detectives swarmed his home and arrested him.
—Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Leading up to the solar eclipse, nearly a quarter million visitors are expected to swarm the Green Mountain State due to its position within the path of totality.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The last time that these broods swarmed aboveground together, Thomas Jefferson was president and the city of Chicago had yet to exist.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Federal authorities swarmed Diddy’s homes Armed law enforcement officers were seen around Combs’ residences Monday in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills neighborhood and Miami Beach’s exclusive community of Star Island, CNN crews reported.
—John Miller, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Bees swarmed the primary showcourt Thursday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, near Palm Springs, during the quarter-final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Germany's Alexander Zverev.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024
Responding units swarmed the hotel, and bodycam footage from different angles showed police barking orders to open the door and come out with hands up.
—Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2024
The bill also creates a new penalty for groups of people who organize on social media to swarm a retail establishment, causing a distraction to steal merchandise.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
The Opening Ceremony will be the first ever held in a city center, with gigantic Olympic rings to be displayed on the Eiffel Tower overlooking the Seine, on which a swarm of boats will carry athletes toward the Tower.
—Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2024
Iran's weekend swarm of munitions and Israel's response marked the first direct exchanges of fire between the regional enemies.
—USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Trying to sleep, in patches, the wife crossed a rushing stream on stepping stones that were unsteady beneath her feet; below them, in the water, swarms of small dark sluglike creatures waited for her bare feet to slip.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Adams said she was particularly impressed with a swarm commander in a different exercise last year at Fort Moore, Georgia, who single-handedly managed a 45-drone swarm over 2.5 hours with just 20 minutes of training.
—Frank Bajak, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
There is a difference between a swarm of cells and a swarm of birds.
—Quanta Magazine, 28 Mar. 2024
Or, even simpler: swarms of flying digital projectors could have broadcasted the footage on the sides of buildings and walls for all to see.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024
Aftershocks are not to be confused with swarms, which are sequences of small earthquakes associated with geothermal activity with no identifiable mainshock.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Next to him, a swarm of servers placed several accoutrements next to it, including harissa oil, garlic-tahini salt and fresh herbs.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024
Verb
When Gagosian arrived on the roof, he was swarmed with well-wishers and clients like collector pal Beth DeWoody and son Carlton DeWoody, Chelsea Handler, Maria Shriver and Mary Steenburgen.
—Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
But in the early hours of April 6, 2022, police officers and detectives swarmed his home and arrested him.
—Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Leading up to the solar eclipse, nearly a quarter million visitors are expected to swarm the Green Mountain State due to its position within the path of totality.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The last time that these broods swarmed aboveground together, Thomas Jefferson was president and the city of Chicago had yet to exist.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Federal authorities swarmed Diddy’s homes Armed law enforcement officers were seen around Combs’ residences Monday in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills neighborhood and Miami Beach’s exclusive community of Star Island, CNN crews reported.
—John Miller, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Bees swarmed the primary showcourt Thursday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, near Palm Springs, during the quarter-final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Germany's Alexander Zverev.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024
Responding units swarmed the hotel, and bodycam footage from different angles showed police barking orders to open the door and come out with hands up.
—Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2024
The bill also creates a new penalty for groups of people who organize on social media to swarm a retail establishment, causing a distraction to steal merchandise.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swarm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to swarm
Dictionary Entries Near swarm
Cite this Entry
“Swarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swarm. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swarm
1 of 2 noun1
: a great number of honeybees leaving together from a hive with a queen to start a new colony elsewhere
also
: a colony of honeybees settled in a hive
2
: a large number grouped together and usually in motion
swarms of sightseers
a swarm of meteors
swarm
2 of 2 verb1
: to form and leave a hive in a swarm
2
: to move or gather in a swarm : throng
spectators swarmed into the stadium
3
: to contain or fill with a swarm
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share