SWEEPS Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

sweeps 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of sweep

as in flows

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in curves

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

straightens

sweeps

2 of 2

noun

plural of sweep

as in confines

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

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 sweeps

Verb

Expect to feel the winds shifting in Northern California Friday, and Saturday for Southern California, as cooler air finally sweeps in. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Lay sweeps the little boy into her arms; the audience dabs at tears. — Joan Kron, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026 The video sweeps around a reveling fiefdom, showing everyone from peasants to dukes partying and getting it on. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 His other hand sweeps by me and bruises into my brother’s face. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 Intimate and immersive, the film sweeps across four years and a dozen countries. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026 Big Ant, who sweeps stalls for the Compton Cowboys, shares his emotions only with his pony. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 The new study, however, hypothesizes that shell direction is not itself an adaptive response, but rather is an accidental marker of a significant evolutionary event that starts in a small subpopulation and then sweeps across vast ocean basins. — Quanta Magazine, 11 Sep. 2026 That definition now sweeps in clothing from the late 2000s and early 2010s, transforming collections remembered by many shoppers as contemporary fashion into searchable archive material. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

Noun

Chandler primarily uses his guitars to produce radar sweeps of drone, which allows Schwendener’s bass to take full responsibility for Beat’s melodies. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026 While the three other wild card series ended in two-game sweeps, the matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies has delivered exceptional postseason drama. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 But the sweeps are still casting a chill across this rural farming region that has relied heavily on immigrant labor since the 1950s. — Kirk Siegler, NPR, 28 Sep. 2026 Postal employees worked overtime, conducting daily sweeps and all-clear checks. — Lee Moak, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026 The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, which originally filed the lawsuit on behalf of citizens and legal residents caught in Arpaio’s sweeps, celebrated the current ruling. — Yana Kunichoff, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2026 The airy texture of the powder adds to the soft-focus effect, blurring pores and fine lines in a few quick sweeps—a no-brainer finishing touch for any makeup look. — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026 Corry’s group calls on the city to conduct sweeps of Skid Row to remove all dogs who do not have adequate food, water or shelter, or who are not microchipped and spayed or neutered. — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Weather stripping and door sweeps can keep spiders and their food sources out of your home. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweeps

Verb

Luserna stone, used for flooring, terraces, and the pool deck, flows seamlessly into the interior as well, laid in large bush-hammered and brushed slabs.

— Elena Dallorso, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
That is despite the bank expecting Brent crude to stabilize at approximately $80 per barrel as recent crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz gradually normalize.

— Matthew Tan, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of flows

Verb

Ukiah to Boonville Head southwest on Highway 253, a two-lane road that curves through a dense forest.

— Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2026
Out front, a striking carport canopy dramatically curves over the angled driveway, suspended by slender steel support columns.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of curves

Noun

Offer smaller scopes of work with clear timelines to secure quicker commitments.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
MacGregor has signed contracts with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard to supply comprehensive roll-on/roll-off equipment for the two vessels, marking one of its most extensive scopes for roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries to date.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of scopes

Verb

Filmed largely in natural daylight, the film drifts between still, unhurried, panning shots to evoke not only the spiritual energy that keeps the temples humming but also a world in slow, gradual decay.

— Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
After the low pressure area drifts toward the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the Gulf Coast of the United States is the likely destination.

— Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of drifts

Noun

But surprisingly large realms of online speech remained wide open.

— Howard W. French, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Getty Images Meta’s new artificial intelligence agent Muse promises to make everything from booking appointments to building playlists easier, but its rollout of agentic shopping, in particular, has the tech and retail realms buzzing.

— Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of realms

Verb

Its nonslip handle has an ergonomic shape to get a comfortable grip, and the blade glides smoothly to peel away the skin without removing the best parts of the fruit underneath it.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026
Ma wanted to call me Lili, music that glides off the back of your teeth.

— Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of glides

Noun

The warehouse, expected to be a hit with shoppers in the fast-growing southern reaches of the Treasure Valley, is also joined by a 16-pump gas station.

— Rose Evans October 6, Idaho Statesman, 6 Oct. 2026
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expanding its space footprint with plans to launch a probe to the further reaches of the solar system.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of reaches

Noun

The announcement describes the systems’ intended capabilities but does not provide detection ranges, engagement distances, or performance results.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
The exact current values are obscured because federal filings use broad ranges and exclude subsequent market moves.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026