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swell

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verb

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swell

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb swell differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of swell are amplify, dilate, distend, expand, and inflate. While all these words mean "to increase in size or volume," swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.

the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions

In what contexts can amplify take the place of swell?

The synonyms amplify and swell are sometimes interchangeable, but amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.

amplify the statement with details

When might dilate be a better fit than swell?

While the synonyms dilate and swell are close in meaning, dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.

dilated pupils

When could distend be used to replace swell?

The words distend and swell are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.

a distended abdomen

When would expand be a good substitute for swell?

Although the words expand and swell have much in common, expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts).

a business that expands every year

When is it sensible to use inflate instead of swell?

While in some cases nearly identical to swell, inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.

an inflated ego

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of swell
Adjective
And while Brown more than merits his spot with the all-time greats, his legacy credentials only swell with his catalog’s prolific sampling for new generations. Trevor Anderson, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025 Imperial College London View 1 Images Our soft tissues swell and shrink throughout the day, so a wearable that fits in the morning may not do so in the afternoon. Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
In the daffodil spears thrusting up through dead leaves, each stalk swells with the pulse of a blossom-to-be. Rosanna Warren, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025 That number swelled to beyond 175,000 after the war’s onset. Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
Some of the dialogue meets the same fate, mumbled or whispered into the swell of Jed Kurzel’s evocative soundtrack. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2025 As global demand swells— projected to nearly double to $10.6 billion by 2033— nations with sprawling orchards and industrial export capacity are scrambling to scale up. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for swell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swell
Adjective
  • But at first, the seizures were a source of great anxiety for our whole family.
    Grace Bastidas, Parents, 14 Apr. 2025
  • His great concern, however, is that A.I. is not being developed with this goal in mind.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • While the overarching trend for fall is still lowest maintenance possible, there's a bit more happening than your typical sunny blondes and balayage brunettes.
    Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 2 Sep. 2020
  • What was once a sleepy college town next to a railroad stop is now one of the most happening cities in the state of Texas.
    Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2018
Verb
  • If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be? (1) Infrastructure in forms of roads and increased police and fire due to the growing population.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • What Murray did in the second half was increase his aggression off the dribble.
    Tony Jones, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Believed to have originated in 15th-century Italy as a card game used by nobility, the original deck was expanded and popularized by 18th-century French occultists; and again later in the 20th century, when modern tarot was born thanks to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, published in 1909.
    Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The two rear cameras live in a small module that protrudes less than a millimeter from the back case.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Well down the mountainside a small ledge protruded from the sharp ridge like a bulbous growth.
    Percy Brown, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • If Russia consolidates its hold on Ukraine today, projections suggest that up to 20 million additional refugees could be forced to flee.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • And while the recent announcement of Olivia Miles’ return for her final collegiate season, albeit at TCU, has shifted projections, Iriafen’s strong March performance and leadership in the absence of JuJu Watkins only raised her profile.
    Annemarie Farrell, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This move could result in a wave of early retirements, Nina Olson, executive director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights, told the Journal of Accountancy.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Diego Luna flashes a smile and a wave while attending an Andor season 2 event at El Capitan Theatre in L.A. on April 14. 108 of 120 Red Carpet Style H.E.R. steps out for the European premiere of Sinners at Cineworld Leicester Square in London on April 14.
    Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In a survey of more than 15,000 users after its rollout in 2024, 90% of respondents ranked their experience as excellent or above average.
    Rachel Barber, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Scott McKenna bossing the defence, Fabio Silva scoring goals for fun, Oli McBurnie bashing around and suddenly speaking excellent Spanish… this is a cause to believe in.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swell. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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