SWEEP Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'sweep' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sweep are compass , gamut , orbit , range , and scope . While all these words mean "the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control)," sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity. // the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

Q: When is 'compass' a more appropriate choice than 'sweep'?

In some situations, the words compass and sweep are roughly equivalent. However, compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity. // your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

Q: When could 'gamut' be used to replace 'sweep'?

While in some cases nearly identical to sweep , gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another. // a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

Q: In what contexts can 'orbit' take the place of 'sweep'?

While the synonyms orbit and sweep are close in meaning, orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation. // within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

Q: When might 'range' be a better fit than 'sweep'?

The words range and sweep can be used in similar contexts, but range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities. // the entire range of human experience

Q: When can 'scope' be used instead of 'sweep'?

The words scope and sweep are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible. // as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

sweep 1 of 2

verb

ˈswēp

Definition of sweep

as in to flow

to move or proceed smoothly and readily the wind swept across the plain without respite

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to curve

to turn away from a straight line or course from this point the mountain range sweeps to the northeast and extends into the next state

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straighten

sweep

2 of 2

noun

as in scope

an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends Mrs. Griswold has been a teacher for so long that the sweep of her influence extends across three generations of the townspeople

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sweep differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sweep are compass, gamut, orbit, range, and scope. While all these words mean "the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control)," sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity.

the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

When is compass a more appropriate choice than sweep?

In some situations, the words compass and sweep are roughly equivalent. However, compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity.

your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

When could gamut be used to replace sweep?

While in some cases nearly identical to sweep, gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another.

a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

In what contexts can orbit take the place of sweep?

While the synonyms orbit and sweep are close in meaning, orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation.

within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

When might range be a better fit than sweep?

The words range and sweep can be used in similar contexts, but range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities.

the entire range of human experience

When can scope be used instead of sweep?

The words scope and sweep are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible.

as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

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 sweep

Verb

Pines with branches sweeping the ground provide protection from cold winds and raptors alike. — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 And from the day he was hired, he really has been swept along by the sound of applause. — Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026

Noun

This past winter, though, my reading pattern broke down in a way that could only be fixed by a big dose of pulp and sweep. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026 The team also laid off more than a dozen employees in May, soon after the season ended with a second-round playoff sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sweep

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweep

Verb

According to regulators, the investments all flowed through Spaventa.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
Using the streams as indicators of the groundwater flowing beneath them, Campbell is building a model to identify the best potential sites in Idaho for a subsurface dam.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of flow

Noun

But now, his organization and others are hearing from hundreds of people and believe the scope of the revocations is much larger.

— Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026
The film’s scope widened, from an initial focus on Texas to a broader approach that included stories from Florida, Louisiana and New Jersey as well.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of scope

Verb

Eduard Löwen played an inward-arcing corner kick and the 6-foot-1 Beecher slammed home a header from 5 yards out in the 27th minute.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Totality also brought glimpses of pinkish-red prominences—fountains of plasma arcing above the sun’s surface, dancing at the moon’s edge.

— Claire Cameron & Lee Billings, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of arc

Noun

The new study highlights that cardiac neurons are similarly heterogenous and that the extent of their functions has yet to be uncovered.

— Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
To the extent that jobs leave the state, the state would lose personal income tax from those employees, but Paramount would likely have to retain a substantial workforce in the state to continue to do business in the film and TV industry.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of extent

Verb

At showtime, video screens surrounding the stage began to glide upwards, revealing two familiar silhouettes, complete with dual doublenecks, shrouded by thick clouds of smoke.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
This monitor has a borderless display on three sides to prevent distractions, and it's equipped with a zippy 75Hz refresh rate so all your operations glide easily across the screen.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of glide

Noun

All of them are concerned with legacy, particularly among fathers and daughters (Shakespeare had two and lost his only son), and all of them touch a realm beyond the mundane — a place of gods and dreams, oracles and enchantment.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
The fantastical realm is filled with the same zombie-like enemies from the first demo.

— Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of realm

Browse Nearby Words

sweaty

sweep

sweep (away)

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Style

“Sweep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweep. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sweep

verb

noun

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Synonyms of sweep

verb

noun

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Phrases Containing sweep

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Cite this Entry

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