sway

American  

[swey] / sweɪ /

verb (used without object)

sways, present (3rd person singular) swayed, past participle, past swaying present participle

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

   Synonyms:

   wave

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

3. to incline in opinion, sympathy, tendency, etc..

   She swayed toward conservatism.

   Synonyms:

   tend, bend, lean

4. to fluctuate or vacillate, as in opinion.

   His ideas swayed this way and that.

5. to wield power; exercise rule.

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verb (used with object)

sways, present (3rd person singular) swayed, past participle, past swaying present participle

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

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

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

4. to cause to fluctuate or vacillate.

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

6. to cause to swerve, as from a purpose or a course of action.

   He swayed them from their plan.

7. to dominate; direct.

8. to wield, as a weapon or scepter.

9. to rule; govern.

noun

1. the act of swaying; swaying movement.

2. rule; dominion.

   He held all Asia in his sway.

3. dominating power or influence.

   Many voters were under his sway.

sway British  

/ sweɪ /

verb

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

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

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

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

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

6. archaic to rule or wield power (over)

7. archaic (tr) to wield (a weapon)

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noun

1. control; power

2. a swinging or leaning movement

3. archaic dominion; governing authority

4. to be master; reign

sway Idioms  

1. see hold sway.

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Synonym Usage

See swing ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unswaying
  adjective
• swayingly
  adverb
• swayful
  adjective
• swayer
  noun
• self-sway
  noun
• unswayable
  adjective
• swayable
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have swayed
  perfect
• has swayed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have been swaying
  perfect progressive
• sways
  singular 3rd person
• are swaying
  progressive
• has been swaying
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am swaying
  progressive 1st person singular
• is swaying
  progressive 3rd person singular
• swaying
  participle

Past

• had swayed
  perfect
• had been swaying
  perfect progressive
• was swaying
  progressive singular
• were swaying
  progressive plural
• swayed
  simple
• swayed
  participle

Future

• will sway
  simple
• will have swayed
  perfect
• will have been swaying
  perfect progressive
• will be swaying
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of sway

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

Explanation

Back and forth...back and forth...back and forth...are you sea-sick yet? The sway, or rocking motion, of a boat is too much for many stomachs. People can sway if they're dizzy, tilting from side to side as they walk. On a windy day you can see trees swaying and bending in the wind. Swaying is usually a gentle motion, but if you're easily swayed, you're in trouble. That means you're easily influenced by others. People of power often "hold sway" over their followers, controlling them with the seeming ease of the breeze.

Example Sentences

But Tehran drew a red line on the Dahiyeh, the southern suburbs of Beirut where Hezbollah holds sway.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

But with key Gulf producers shut out of the global market, pledges to raise output in a bid to ease spiralling prices are unlikely to sway traders.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

In one fell swoop, Congress used its guarantee clause authority to establish multiracial democracy where human bondage had previously held sway, enfranchising huge numbers of formerly enslaved Black Americans and remaking Southern society.

From Slate • Jun. 3, 2026

That structure has led to colorful campaigns to sway institutional and retail shareholders alike during the company’s annual meetings.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

With the government’s case in trouble, prosecutors eventually called a witness who, they believed, could sway the jury in their favor: the bootlegger and former bureau informant Kelsie Morrison.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• bend
• lean
• swing
• waver
• wobble