German word

Schwarm

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃvaʁm/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncrush

Example

Sie ist seit Monaten in ihren Schwarm verliebt.

She has been in love with her crush for months.

Illustration for Schwarm (crush)

More examples

Er hat gestern heimlich ein Foto von seinem Schwarm gespeichert.

He secretly saved a photo of his crush yesterday.

Core concept

Attention gathers around one person until that person becomes a private romantic focus, much like creatures gathering in a swarm.

Common phrases

  • mein Schwarm

    my crush

  • heimlicher Schwarm

    secret crush

Similar words

Crush: A person who sparks casual romantic feelings in everyday speech.
Flamme: A person who attracts an intense, possibly temporary romantic passion.
Liebesinteresse: A person considered as a potential romantic partner or focus of attraction.

Definition in German

eine Person, zu der man heimliches Interesse oder starke Zuneigung empfindet, ohne dass eine feste Beziehung bestehen muss

Word origin

The personal sense of Schwarm developed from the older Germanic word for a swarm through the figurative idea of affection gathering around someone.

Usage tips

  • The related verb schwärmen für means to rave about or be enthusiastic about someone or something and takes für with the accusative.

Other meanings

  • swarmnoun
  • crowdnoun

Opposites

  • Antipathieantipathynoun
  • Gleichgültigkeitindifferencenoun

Related words

Word lists with this word