sway
verb (used without object)
to move or swing to and fro, as something fixed at one end or resting on a support.
were swaying
-
past progressiveof sway.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We all ran out of the building, the power lines were swaying, and everyone was outside," Arnulfo Santos, a worker at a flour mill in Santiago de Veraguas told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Sitting in our New York offices, a colleague and I instantly felt the earthquake here on the 18th floor in lower Manhattan, as though our desks and the building itself were swaying.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2024
Trees were swaying and flags were whipping from the opening tee shot, and rounds in the 60s were scarce at Southern Hills.
From Seattle Times ● May 20, 2022
Because the actors were above the depths, there was all kinds of CGI mishegoss required to make their accoutrements look like they were swaying in the currents.
From Slate ● Dec. 27, 2018
The television was on but the volume was off so that the dancing people looked as if they were swaying drunkenly.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
