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swainishness
noun
Example Sentences
a fair maiden and her swain
a romanticized portrait of a bygone era of beauteous Southern belles and their gallant swains
Recent Examples on the Web
The hustling, athletic girl will forget the links and make sheep’s eyes at her amorous swain.
San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Oct. 2022
Torn between two possible husbands, Ali Hakim (Benj Mirman), the peddler who enjoys playing the field, and Will Parker (Hennessy Winkler), the simple-minded swain desperate to marry her, Sis’ Ado Annie ricochets like a slippery pinball.
Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2022
There’s intrigue upstairs and down: Will Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) be loyal to her absentee husband or succumb to the attentions of a flirty swain?
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 May 2022
In this idyllic arbor, our young maiden, Queenie, met her swain, Mr. Darcy.
Kevin Fisher-paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 May 2022
Aaron Tveit plays a sweet-talking swain who tries to steal away Melissa through song, much to the chagrin of the musicals-hating Josh.
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 19 July 2021
Maleficent is jilted by a swain who prefers power to love.
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 May 2021
Harley, however, has now split with her grinning swain and gone solo.
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2020
Still, Pattinson is something to see as the confident 19th-century swain — so confident, in fact, that his all-American optimism starts to seem like a threat.
Ty Burr, BostonGlobe.com, 27 June 2018
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San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Oct. 2022
Torn between two possible husbands, Ali Hakim (Benj Mirman), the peddler who enjoys playing the field, and Will Parker (Hennessy Winkler), the simple-minded swain desperate to marry her, Sis’ Ado Annie ricochets like a slippery pinball.
Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2022
There’s intrigue upstairs and down: Will Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) be loyal to her absentee husband or succumb to the attentions of a flirty swain?
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 May 2022
In this idyllic arbor, our young maiden, Queenie, met her swain, Mr. Darcy.
Kevin Fisher-paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 May 2022
Aaron Tveit plays a sweet-talking swain who tries to steal away Melissa through song, much to the chagrin of the musicals-hating Josh.
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 19 July 2021
Maleficent is jilted by a swain who prefers power to love.
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 May 2021
Harley, however, has now split with her grinning swain and gone solo.
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2020
Still, Pattinson is something to see as the confident 19th-century swain — so confident, in fact, that his all-American optimism starts to seem like a threat.
Ty Burr, BostonGlobe.com, 27 June 2018
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
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Cite this Entry
“Swain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swain. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
Kids Definition
swain
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