as in to expand
to make or become larger especially because of pressure from inside
The illness can cause the stomach to distend.
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Recent Examples of distend
The pup’s abdomen was firm and distended.
—
Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
The Most Exciting New Advances in Managing COPD With another strategy, diaphragmatic breathing, patients concentrate on distending their abdomen while taking in air.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
Abdominal bloating is when the stomach feels full of gas and may become distended (sticks out).
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Sep. 2024
His stomach was distended — a sign of severe malnutrition.
—Joe Snell, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
The dress had been constructed from a boudoir-ish bodice, which distended into a full-skirted ballgown, giving the impression of deliberate deshabillé, as if the design had been left unfinished on the mannequin.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Their heads are twizzling, their eyes bulging, their teeth ground to the gums, their bowels distended.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023
The silhouettes are distended and reveal the skin beneath these big cobwebs of yarn.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023
At 6-foot-3, pushing 330 pounds, his appearance was misshapen by a stomach distended with fluid.
—Max Blau, ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2023
Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
The Most Exciting New Advances in Managing COPD With another strategy, diaphragmatic breathing, patients concentrate on distending their abdomen while taking in air.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
Abdominal bloating is when the stomach feels full of gas and may become distended (sticks out).
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Sep. 2024
His stomach was distended — a sign of severe malnutrition.
—Joe Snell, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
The dress had been constructed from a boudoir-ish bodice, which distended into a full-skirted ballgown, giving the impression of deliberate deshabillé, as if the design had been left unfinished on the mannequin.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Their heads are twizzling, their eyes bulging, their teeth ground to the gums, their bowels distended.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023
The silhouettes are distended and reveal the skin beneath these big cobwebs of yarn.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023
At 6-foot-3, pushing 330 pounds, his appearance was misshapen by a stomach distended with fluid.
—Max Blau, ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distend
Verb
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For 2024, the list was expanded to 450 companies and looked at their emissions between 2020 and 2022.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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Capital One is expanding its travel perks, adding exclusive airport lounges, landings (think: snazzy, foodie-forward boutique lounges) and two hotel collections with special benefits.—
Paul Rubio,
AFAR Media,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Before the pandemic, Jackson County Public Health had about 30 employees, but swelled to about 120 during the crisis.—
Jonathan Shorman,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
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The agency hopes the undertaking will accommodate population swells on Fort Worth’s western outskirts.—
Jaime Moore-Carrillo,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Tesla has increased North American sourcing for parts of many models over the last two years, which would decrease tariff exposure for the E41, two people aware of the matter said.—
Abhirup Roy,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Those unused hours can, however, be converted to service credit to increase their government pensions.—
Melody Gutierrez,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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During an eye exam, an eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist) may use drops to temporarily dilate the pupil to see inside the eye.7 Symptoms With miosis, either one or both pupils may be abnormally small.—
Maxine Lipner,
Verywell Health,
19 Mar. 2025
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And times dilate, or lengthen, by a factor of γ, for any object-in-motion relative to their otherwise stationary surroundings.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distend. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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