strong sway

USAGE SUMMARY

"strong sway" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a powerful influence or control over someone or something. Example: "The leader had a strong sway over the committee's decisions." Alternative expressions include "significant influence" and "powerful control."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

In Manhattan, he added, the New Jersey stigma also held strong sway.

The New York Times

Germany's labor unions, which hold strong sway with Social Democrats and are also represented on the board of Opel, have registered their support for a deal with Magna International, the auto parts and engineering company, based in Aurora, Ontario.

The New York Times

German labor unions, who hold strong sway with Social Democrats and are also represented on the board of Opel, support a deal with Magna International, an auto parts and engineering company based in Canada.

The New York Times

The 132-square mile Sinuiju zone lies across the Yalu River from the Chinese city Dandong in a relatively conservative region where the Communist party still holds strong sway, and ethnic Koreans are numerous.

The New York Times

The sultan has traditionally held strong sway over the nation's Muslim population, approving dates for the start and end of Muslim fasts and speaking on issues of religious policy in Nigeria.

The New York Times

The recruit's family originally had agreed to a lower price, but another athletic apparel company was "coming with a higher number," so Dawkins needed to enlist an unnamed coach at Louisville who had strong sway with Gatto, the Adidas executive.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The knees and hips are bent, and there is a strong swaying from side to side.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Even without eye contact, hanging on to the dorsal fin allowed me to feel the sharks' subtle unseen movements; feeling the way the water displaced as we glided together, and the gentle but strong swaying of the sharks' caudal fin (tail) so careful not to kick me as I released my hold".

Huffington Post

There used to be a minority of taste makers and influencers who had stronger sway on people's opinions.

TechCrunch

However, the coming Fed and European Central Bank (ECB) meetings followed by earnings season might start exerting a stronger sway on the market in coming weeks.

Forbes

Such a drastic reorganization might be extremely difficult in the United States, where power companies have strong political sway and states decide whether to promote renewable energy.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place the phrase after the subject in a 'hold/have' structure for maximum impact, such as 'cultural traditions hold a strong sway over the community'

Common error

Avoid using "strong sway" to describe physical movement unless the context specifically allows for poetic or descriptive license. In engineering or meteorology, specify whether you mean 'building sway' or 'oscillation' to avoid ambiguity with the more common figurative meaning of political or social influence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "strong sway" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "strong" modifies the noun "sway". According to Ludwig, it is most commonly used as the object of verbs like hold, have, or exercise to indicate a high degree of influence or control.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "strong sway" is a versatile and sophisticated phrase used primarily to describe significant influence or control within social and political contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and its prevalence in high-authority news sources like The New York Times. While it can occasionally describe physical movement—such as a building's oscillation—its most effective use is in describing the power dynamics of organizations, leaders, or cultural traditions. For writers looking for more common alternatives, "significant influence" is a reliable substitute.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant influence

More common in professional and academic settings to describe a high degree of power

substantial clout

Often used in political or social circles to denote informal power

powerful control

Suggests a more direct and assertive form of authority than influence

considerable leverage

Implies using a specific advantage to achieve an outcome

heavy impact

Focuses on the result of the influence rather than the authority itself

potent reach

Highlights the extent and power of someone's influence over a distance or area

dominant authority

Emphasizes the supremacy of the entity holding the influence

firm grip

A more idiomatic and metaphorical way to describe holding tight control

major effect

Focuses on the magnitude of the change caused

compelling pull

Suggests an attractive or irresistible form of influence

FAQs

How to use "strong sway" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe influence in sentences like "The religious leader held a "strong sway" over the local population."

What can I say instead of "strong sway"?

Depending on your context, you could use "significant influence", "powerful clout" or "major impact".

Which is correct, "strong sway" or "strong influence"?

Both are grammatically correct. While "strong influence" is more common and direct, "strong sway" carries a slightly more literary or sophisticated tone.

Can "strong sway" refer to physical motion?

Yes, in specific technical or descriptive contexts. For example, it can describe how a "building sways" during an earthquake or a tree in high winds.