HERDS Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

herds 1 of 2

noun

plural of herd

as in flocks

a group of domestic animals assembled or herded together the great herds of cattle that cowboys once drove across the plains

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in masses

the body of the community as contrasted with the elite aspire to achieve something, to distinguish yourself from the herd

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in swarms

a great number of persons or things massed together gearing up for the herd of holiday shoppers at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving

Synonyms & Similar Words

herds

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of herd

as in drives

to urge, push, or force onward the guards briskly herded us through the museum in order to prevent overcrowding

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 herds

Noun

Finding one of the latter type of trail, however, is a big order because elk normally travel in small herds over a vast area. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 12 Aug. 2026 Cow-calf ranchers, who raise permanent herds of mother calves to sell for beef, produce the supply of cows for the entire industry and have been able to hike prices. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 These herds continuously loop across the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania and the Maasai Mara in Kenya, driven by ancient instincts to follow seasonal rainfall and fresh grazing. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Grazing companies say annual wage costs could jump to about $240,000 per herder, forcing some to liquidate herds or shut down. — Ruyuan Li. Story Produced With Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Pictures of the Channel Islands in the 1980s, after an analogous period of protection from human and otter predation, show huge herds of black abalone, shell to shell, covering patches of the tidepool like floor tiling. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026 Silbiger’s portfolio is a reflective combination of classic American motifs like Saguaro cacti and herds of bison, and odd roadside attractions like the inflatable Maine lobster. — Sarah Silbiger, CNN Money, 25 July 2026 Sit outside your ger and watch daily life unfold as herds of horses, goats, and sheep gather at a nearby well. — Undraa Buyannemekh, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026 Why doesn’t the growth in beef prices cause ranchers to buy more cows or raise more cows and build their herds? — David Frum, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026

Verb

Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma, charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King herds a bluegrass-playing band of misfits while overseeing the premier honey-making operation in town. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 Max tells him to put it down, releasing Zack in exchange, then picks up the gun himself, herds all four Bowdens into the kitchen, and makes Natalie bind her parents' wrists with plastic restraints. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026 The father gently herds his family toward her glass booth. — Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 June 2026 However, one quick look at what companies like Boston Dynamics has achieved with robots like the rather creepy dog-like ‘Spot,’ who herds sheep in New Zealand, and the possibilities seem endless. — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for herds

Noun

Adding to the odds, turkey flocks in Cambria appear to be getting bigger.

— Kathe Tanner, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026
So, what did Wild Florida look like before flocks of people made this place home base?

— Candace Barone, Florida Times-Union, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of flocks

Noun

Weiss believes the program is in dire need of a shake-up and has to be made more relevant to digital audiences and younger crowds.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Contra Despite the cancellations in some European countries, West’s shows in others have gone ahead, drawing large crowds.

— Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of crowds

Noun

Another tale describes maintenance workers at the Old Zoo dumping spoiled soda syrup off the cliff, which lured swarms of bees.

— Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with long-range missiles and swarms of drones targeting military industries and energy facilities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of swarms

Noun

Energy buyers in Asia and Europe, the US military, Arab publics, global investors, universities, football, and mediation partners from Tehran to the Taliban all came to want Qatar functioning, each for their own reason.

— Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Museums are sincerely trying to connect with their publics (even if these are often cast as consumers), and the horizon for that experiment is almost limitless.

— Katy Siegel, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Definition of publics

Noun

Right in the middle of cheering, reveling masses was MARTA — a connective system of veins that efficiently moved the happy throngs.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
These friends describe a large party on Horn Island, which is a favorite gathering spot in the summer, with throngs of people spread out in the sun and surf and around numerous boats, some of them drinking in water known to be deep and dangerous.

— Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

Definition of throngs

Noun

Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.

— Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026

Definition of people

Noun

Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore.

— Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
This is good old Mother Earth, and the Inuit people have thrived here for a few thousand years, living cheek to jowl with muskox, polar bears, caribou, tundra grizzlies, red fox, Arctic fox and hordes of ducks and geese.

— Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of hordes

Browse Nearby Words

herding

herds

herdsman

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Style

“Herds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herds. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of herds

noun

verb

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