Meaning of hold sway | Babel Free

Definitions

To have the greatest influence (over someone or something); to be pre-eminent; to dominate.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“Within Lololand, of course, no Chinese writ runs, no Chinese magistrate holds sway, and the people, more or less divided among themselves, are under the government of their tribal chiefs.”

“Not only is Jon’s claim to the Iron Throne stronger than hers, thanks to a patriarchal society, but her heroic deeds—and the attendant risks—hold no sway in the North.”

“Neither appeal seemed to hold sway with Kaplan, who stated that while he took into account that Bankman-Fried has autism and is socially awkward, he had committed a very serious crime.”

CEFR level