1
a
: a typically large group of animals of one kind kept together under human control
a herd of cattle
b
: a congregation of gregarious wild animals
herds of antelopes
2
a(1)
: a group of people usually having a common bond
a herd of tourists
(2)
: a large assemblage of like things
herds of cars
b
: the undistinguished masses : crowd
isolate the individual prophets from the herd—
Norman Cousins
Norman Cousins
herded; herding; herds
1
a
: to gather, lead, or drive as if in a herd (see herd entry 1 sense 1a)
herded the children into the car
b
: to keep or move (animals) together
dogs that are trained to herd sheep
2
: to place in a group
herd us with their kindred fools—Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift1
: to assemble or move in a herd (see herd entry 1)
herding onto the subway
2
: to place oneself in a group : associate
it is desirable that young noblemen should herd—Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott
Examples of herd in a Sentence
Noun
The herd grazed peacefully in the pasture.
A herd of shoppers waited anxiously for the store to open.
Verb
The horses were herded into the corral.
We left the hotel and were herded onto a bus.
They herded the students into the auditorium.
The commuters herded onto the train.
Recent Examples on the Web
Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 7 Feb. 2025
This is not the first time bird flu has impacted dairy cows, having infected 957 herds across 16 states since last March.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025
The foster mom in the van following on the ground—the two women take turns driving and flying—had to go back to the start, and then spend hours on the airfield, in the blistering sun, herding the birds into crates, before driving hours to rejoin the others.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for herd 
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.
Noun
Some states with infected herds took months to require testing.
—Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 7 Feb. 2025
This is not the first time bird flu has impacted dairy cows, having infected 957 herds across 16 states since last March.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
In Conclave, Fiennes herds the cardinals toward the election of a new pope after the existing Supreme Pontiff has been discovered dead in bed.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025
The foster mom in the van following on the ground—the two women take turns driving and flying—had to go back to the start, and then spend hours on the airfield, in the blistering sun, herding the birds into crates, before driving hours to rejoin the others.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for herd
Articles Related to herd
Dictionary Entries Near herd
Cite this Entry
“Herd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herd. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
herd
1 of 2 noun1
: a number of animals of one kind kept or living together
2
: the common people
herd
2 of 2 verb1
: to assemble or come together into a herd or group
2
: to gather, lead, or drive a herd
herd cattle
herder
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share