sway

[ swey ]

/ sweɪ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sway ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to move or swing to and fro, as something fixed at one end or resting on a support.

to move or incline to one side or in a particular direction.

to incline in opinion, sympathy, tendency, etc.: She swayed toward conservatism.

to fluctuate or vacillate, as in opinion: His ideas swayed this way and that.

to wield power; exercise rule.

verb (used with object)

to cause to move to and fro or to incline from side to side.

to cause to move to one side or in a particular direction.

Nautical. to hoist or raise (a yard, topmast, or the like) (usually followed by up).

to cause to fluctuate or vacillate.

to cause (the mind, emotions, etc., or a person) to incline or turn in a specified way; influence.

to cause to swerve, as from a purpose or a course of action: He swayed them from their plan.

to dominate; direct.

to wield, as a weapon or scepter.

to rule; govern.

noun

the act of swaying; swaying movement.

rule; dominion: He held all Asia in his sway.

dominating power or influence: Many voters were under his sway.

Origin of sway

1300–50; (verb) Middle English sweyen < Old Norse sveigja “to bend, sway” (transitive); (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb

SYNONYMS FOR sway

1 wave.

3 lean, bend, tend.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sway ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for sway

1. See swing¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM sway

sway·a·ble, adjective sway·er, noun sway·ing·ly, adverb self-sway, noun

un·sway·a·ble, adjective un·sway·ing, adjective

Words nearby sway

swathe, swati, swatow, swats, swatter, sway, sway bar, sway-back, swayback, swaybacked, swayed

British Dictionary definitions for swayable

sway

/ (sweɪ) /

verb

(usually intr) to swing or cause to swing to and fro

(usually intr) to lean or incline or cause to lean or incline to one side or in different directions in turn

(usually intr) to vacillate or cause to vacillate between two or more opinions

to be influenced or swerve or influence or cause to swerve to or from a purpose or opinion

(tr) nautical to hoist (a yard, mast, or other spar)

archaic, or poetic to rule or wield power (over)

(tr) archaic to wield (a weapon)

noun

control; power

a swinging or leaning movement

archaic dominion; governing authority

hold sway to be master; reign

Derived forms of sway

swayable, adjective swayer, noun swayful, adjective

Word Origin for sway

C16: probably from Old Norse sveigja to bend; related to Dutch zwaaien, Low German swājen

Idioms and Phrases with swayable

sway

see hold sway.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sway

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of sway

SYNONYMS FOR sway

synonym study for sway

OTHER WORDS FROM sway

Words nearby sway

British Dictionary definitions for swayable

verb

noun

Derived forms of sway

Word Origin for sway

Idioms and Phrases with swayable

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sway

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of sway

SYNONYMS FOR sway

synonym study for sway

OTHER WORDS FROM sway

Words nearby sway

Words related to swayable

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verb

noun

Derived forms of sway

Word Origin for sway

Idioms and Phrases with swayable

British Dictionary definitions for swayable