A swarm of mosquitoes followed him.
Source: tatoeba (23593)
Swarm
/swɔɹm/
Synonyms for "swarm" (193 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (39)
Strong matches (58)
datedroveemigrateemigrationexpatriateexpatriationfillflightflitflockflock togetherflocksfloodflowflow togetherforgatherfusegagglegang aroundgang up
Show 27 more words
gathergather aroundhailherdherd togetherhivehordehosthuddleimmigrateimmigrationin-migratein-migrationincreaseinfestinfestationintermigrateintermigrationinvadeinvasionjamknow no boundslarge amountleaguelegionlinklot
Related words (96)
lotslousinessluxuriatemanymassmasses ofmeetmergemigratemigrationmillmobmuchnessmultitudemurmurationmusternestnumbernumbersoffspring
Show 59 more words
out-migrateout-migrationoveraboundoverbrimoverflowovergrowoverrunoverrunningoverspilloverspreadoverspreadingoverswarmoverswarmingpackpassageplaguepluralitypresspullulatequantitiesquantityquite a fewrabblerallyrally aroundravageremigrateremigrationrendezvousroutruckrunrun riotscoresseetheshoalskeinsnarlspill overspringstackstreamsuperaboundsurgeswarm withswarmingtake wingteemteem withteemingthrongthrong withtidy sumtransmigratetransmigrationtrekunitewatchworlds of
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: cloud, horde, a mass of, a world of, abound.
- Sentence evidence is available for swarm, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "swarm".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "swarm"
Keep "swarm" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "swarm" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "swarm", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "swarm" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
19 entriesaboundaerial swarmant swarmbee swarmbesiegeconvergedrone swarmgatherjournalistslocust swarmmassparticle swarmphotographerspopulatepress corpsrobot swarm
Showing 16 of 19 words.
Collocations
11 entriesbee swarmdrone swarmlocust swarmparticle swarm optimizationswarm attackswarm behaviorswarm intelligenceswarm of beesswarm of reportersswarm roboticsswarming behavior
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
22 total sentences available.
A swarm of bees attacked us without mercy.
Source: tatoeba (321077)
Commentators have variously described the sound of vuvuzelas as "annoying" and "satanic" and compared it with "a stampede of noisy elephants", "a deafening swarm of locusts", "a goat on the way to slaughter", "a giant hive full of very angry bees", and "a duck on speed".
Source: tatoeba (404966)
A swarm of hornets attacked the children.
Source: tatoeba (543753)
Showing 4 of 22 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "swarm"?
Closest matches include cloud, horde, a mass of, a world of, abound.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "swarm"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.