swarmed 1 of 2

past tense of swarm
1
as in flocked
to move upon or fill (something) in great numbers meeting little resistance, the pirates swarmed the decks of the merchant ship

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2
as in buzzed
to be copiously supplied at this time of year that Mexican resort swarms with college students on spring break

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swarmed

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of swarm
as in climbed
to move (as up or over something) often with the help of the hands in holding or pulling one of the physical challenges had competitors swarming over a pile of logs

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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 swarmed
Verb
Spanish protesters and migrants clashed with police and each other in Ceuta, one month after a horde of over 70,000 Moroccan migrants abruptly swarmed the small Spanish enclave. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026 His Chiefs teammates came on the field and swarmed Butker, whose initial reaction was to play it cool. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026 Security tried to shield the 6-foot-10 veteran as spectators swarmed. Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Beyond being used to stalk innocent people, the cameras have also swarmed random individuals with over-the-top police responses, including a journalist. Frank Landymore, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026 The summertime trail is swarmed by black flies, tiny but blood-crazed. Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 When word spread locally that Ruth was hospitalized, concerned fans swarmed not only the hospital, but other places that might be sources of information. Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026 As blood poured from Salgado’s body, other men swarmed the van, and Victor was yanked outside. Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026 Krukow says ‘thank you’ to fans Fans have swarmed to support Krukow, with hundreds of positive comments and thousands of likes filling up the various social media posts announcing his retirement. Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swarmed
Verb
  • After news of her passing broke on August 25, fans flocked to the estate to pay respects, per WKRN.
    Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Mourners flocked to a bronze statue of Dolly in the center of her hometown of Sevierville Tuesday night, exchanging stories and shedding tears.
    Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The two 98-seat Embraer-190 regional jets from South African airline Airlink buzzed Cape Town’s DHL stadium on Saturday just before the match between the country’s Springboks and New Zealand’s All Blacks teams.
    Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As for Haaland, whose long, pale-blonde hair nabbed countless headlines during the World Cup, buzzed it off and filmed the whole thing for YouTube.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Chinese authorities have reported seven deaths and more than 550 missing, while Nepal’s disaster agency said the death toll had climbed to 669 with 2,426 people missing.
    Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Casey’s social team found its penetration with Gen Z has climbed 600 basis points over the past three years based on engagement.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The small table was crowded with bottles of sparkling San Pellegrino and fancy saucières filled with every sauce and condiment on offer.
    Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Fewer screens Cineplexes are crowded partly because the pandemic left the industry with fewer of them.
    Bob Mondello, NPR, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The Fire Department rescued numerous residents who had become trapped by the flames, which were seen bursting from the building, KCTV5 reported at the time.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The illusion of a beautiful, war-free Dresden, however, would soon burst for these men, going as flat as the champagne bubbles after the wedding of Billy Pilgrim’s daughter.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The war has scrambled that network, and cargo is now rerouted overland from Khor Fakkan and Fujairah, on the UAE’s east coast, where trucks queue as long as 12 hours against a 27-minute turnaround at Jebel Ali.
    Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • If data center opposition has scrambled politics and electoral stereotypes across the country over the past few months, Box Elder County has shown that to be true even in the unlikeliest of places.
    Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • By later in the day, the second lake had bulged — sparking fears of another lethal torrent.
    Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • My husband Grant Wahl's bulged and burst, at an age when this disease usually means something inherited.
    Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • People have clambered into helicopters from roof terraces and been winched up from the mud left behind by the floodwater, videos posted by the Nepali Army show.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Several members equipped with climbing harnesses clambered up a small tree on the school’s front lawn and dangled from its limbs on climbing ropes.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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