to hold sway
9
6.6
- phrasal verb
:
tener poder
- The influential author managed to hold sway over public opinion with her latest book.
- still hold sway
- long held sway
- continue to hold sway
And really held sway for much of that century.
- And really held sway for much of that century.
- And many of the same corrupt structures continued to hold sway.
Examples
-
Clinton and Belcher professed strong pro-environmental values that held sway over their plans' development.
Academic text (2018) -
Now they hold sway over all the lands to the west of here.
-
Our third is to identify who holds sway in target states.
-
Uncertainty held sway in every arena of economic, social, and cultural life.
Academic text (2005) -
The Tuareg did not hold sway over the city for long, however.
Academic text (2007) -
In a true democracy, the "collective will" must hold sway, and journal editors are no exception to this golden rule.
Academic text (1999) -
Indeed, in the 1890s, British Idealism held sway over most philosophy departments at institutions in Europe and the United States.
Academic text (2017) -
For a moment, communitarian localism in the form of participatory democracy held sway again.
Academic text (2017) -
The politician's charisma allows him to hold sway over many voters during elections.
-
In the boardroom, the CEO continues to hold sway despite increasing competition.
Synonyms
∞
2.4
To have power over people, things, or situations
264
3.7
Keep power over a situation and stay calm
58
4.3
Use power or influence to make something happen
49
5.2
To be the most powerful influence in a situation
48
3.7
To rise above a place and be clearly visible from around it
23
4.2
To be in charge of people or a place
8
6.1
To have control or an advantage in a situation
3
6.3
To be in control of a group and make important decisions
3
9.9
To have complete power over someone by controlling what they need or fear
3
4.4
To have influence with people or in a situation
3
4.9
To be in control of a group or business
3
7.0
To have control and make the main decisions
To keep an advantage or control over others
Antonyms
How Influential
607
1.0
48
3.7
∞
2.4
9
6.6
430
3.4
81
3.6
∞
3.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to have power or influence' is directly derived from combining 'hold' (to possess) with 'sway' (influence), so a learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the idiom. This verb + noun collocation follows common compositional patterns and has parallels in other languages, making it immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.
Etymology
The phrase hold sway may come from the image of a leader who holds a staff and makes it sway to show control over a group. So, to hold sway means 'to have power' or 'influence'.