swell 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of swellnext
1
as in great
of the very best kind what a swell time we had at the country club dance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in happening
being in the latest or current fashion in its heyday as a summer resort, the town was known for its swanky hotels and swell restaurants

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

swell

2 of 3

verb

ˈswel How to pronounce swell (audio)
1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the club membership has really swelled in recent months

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to expand
to make greater in size, amount, or number more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

swell

3 of 3

noun

1
as in projection
a part that sticks out from the general mass of something the graceful swell of the bottle was meant to be evocative of the female figure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wave
a moving ridge on the surface of water huge swells overwhelmed the tiny craft

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Espada has witnessed all but one year of the Houston Astros’ golden era, watching expectations swell to almost unattainable levels. —Chandler Rome, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025 Last year, the conglomerate’s perfumes and cosmetics division saw organic sales swell to 8.42 billion euros. —James Manso, WWD, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
The ranks of the uninsured would swell as a result of policies that would add barriers to access, raise insurance costs and deny benefits outright for some people, such as certain legal immigrants. —Greg Iacurci,lorie Konish, CNBC, 6 June 2025 An outbreak of the disease was swelling in Gaines County, a rural community with one of the lowest childhood vaccination rates in the country. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 4 June 2025
Noun
The helmsman, feeling swells beneath the vessel, gleans the proper heading, even in the dark. —The Conversation, 14 May 2025 There were no other visitors, but up in the gallery, someone was belting out a hymn on the blue and gold organ, charging the space with a swell of emotion. —Rachel Howard, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for swell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swell
  1. great
  2. happening
  3. increase
  4. expand
  5. protrude
  6. projection
  7. wave
  8. excellent
Adjective
  • No putt was more important than his 20-foot par putt up the ridge on No. 9 to finish off a great round the right way.
    — Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
  • Regardless of external conditions, customers continue to demand better experiences, more personalized interactions and greater value.
    — Andrea Guerzoni, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Definition of great
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
Definition of happening
Verb
  • Tacoma did its own analysis and found that people with a regular housing voucher, and no time limit, actually fared better at increasing their incomes and moving on.
    — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 7 June 2025
  • Speaking to journalists in March, Mark Bullingham, who replaced Glenn as CEO in 2019, explained how the FA had used the pre-grown pitches and increased major-event cap to grow Wembley’s revenues.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Definition of increase
Verb
  • Trump’s memo will go into the history books as a moment when presidential power expanded to put under his control a military force aimed at U.S. civilians.
    — Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
  • Stablecoins are often treated as satellites of U.S. monetary policy—dollar proxies that expand liquidity and shore up Treasury demand.
    — Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Definition of expand
Verb
  • The animals have small eyes that slightly protrude from their heads, which are smooth and flat, according to the study.
    — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
  • Books fly off the shelves, a protruding nail vanishes and then reappears, a Ouija board spells an incomplete message, and there’s definitely something on the third floor.
    — Gabino Iglesias, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • One-time items, say a litigation settlement, potentially mess with an analyst’s projection of continuing performance.
    — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
  • The exhibit animates the workings of the machine through projection mapping on the surface, allowing viewers to learn about its role in the mechanical revolution of agriculture, the release said.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Definition of projection
Noun
  • Ever since November, the Reyes family has lived here, beneath tarpaulin and nipa palm, wedged between crashing waves and a coastal highway in northeastern Luzon.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 June 2025
  • The legislation was still being negotiated hours before it was brought to the floor for a House vote, with Johnson eventually relenting to the $40,000 figure after a wave of last-minute bartering.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 5 June 2025
Definition of wave
Adjective
  • This is an excellent time to invest, pitch a creative idea or spruce up your portfolio.
    — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 5 June 2025
  • Robin will make an excellent addition to our great Kentucky State Senate Majority!
    — Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Definition of excellent

Browse Nearby Words

sweet tooth
swell
swelled
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Cite this Entry

“Swell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swell. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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