hordes

noun

plural of horde
as in throngs
a great number of persons or creatures massed together a horde of mosquitoes hordes of tourists from the cruise ship crowded the shops and cafes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 hordes Chino Hills State Park is almost never crowded, except during a spring super bloom, when the hillsides erupt in California poppies and hordes of would-be influencers arrive to take photos for Instagram. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 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 The Hitlerite hordes are murdering and outraging the peaceful inhabitants of our country, having no mercy on women, children or old people. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 Just weeks ago, Colombian-Mexican restaurant Paisa MX welcomed hordes of World Cup spectators. — Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026 The president also frequently recounts that hordes of women, including journalists, Cabinet members and administration officials, used to complain to him about their high heels getting stuck in the mud in the old, grassy Rose Garden. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 For those looking to escape the hordes, the Park Lane, set north of central Copenhagen, offers a pocket of peace. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026 Many could be seen climbing up the walls and then running in hordes along the coast to get into the city. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hordes
  1. throngs
  2. swarms
  3. flocks
  4. crowds
Noun
  • The cows made their way to the altar — with the handlers helping to guide them with hay — through throngs of people and a few mascots sitting in seats and lined up on the streets, who stopped by just to see the unique occasion.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The rooms proved to be catnip for selfie-seekers and a financial boon to museums and galleries, which could dependably rely on them to draw throngs of visitors eager to line up for a chance at a few seconds alone in one of them.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of throngs
Noun
  • Adversaries may soon be able to fly drones in coordinated swarms using AI, effectively overwhelming any defenses.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Nightly swarms of drones closed Russian airports, struck oil refineries or set ablaze the warehouses of retail giants Wildberries and Ozon.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of swarms
Noun
  • Editor’s pick More picks A rare bird draws flocks of Southern California birders to this Irvine marsh to get a glimpse.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Kessler recalls the sound of flocks of birds that were often nearby picked up by the microphones.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of flocks
Noun
  • As federal agents increasingly used chemical irritants on crowds, Michael Cavlan began spending less time patrolling and more time treating people who’d been hurt.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As usual, the Alley Art Festival on Saturday drew crowds who browsed at dozens of tents featuring oil paintings, sculptures, sketches, jewelry, pottery and other artwork along Water Street Mall and Downer Place.
    — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of crowds

Browse Nearby Words

horde
hordes
horizon
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Cite this Entry

“Hordes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hordes. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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