as in lump
a small rounded mass of swollen tissue
the swelling at the site of the insect bite was not too concerning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in increasing
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the club membership has really swelled in recent months
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accelerating
to make greater in size, amount, or number
more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in surging
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of swelling
Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Pain, swelling and a change in color at the site or all the way up the limb are among the common symptoms of a snake bite.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Just a contusion, but there is some swelling in there for sure but not a big deal.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swelling
Verb
For every 1,000 measles cases, there are between 1 and 3 deaths from breathing complications or brain swelling.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Pain, swelling and a change in color at the site or all the way up the limb are among the common symptoms of a snake bite.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Early reports flagged a type of heart swelling called myocarditis as a rare side effect of the mRNA vaccine, particularly for young men ages 18 to 25 after a booster dose.
—Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Just a contusion, but there is some swelling in there for sure but not a big deal.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swelling
Noun
-
Shearer and Teplin had just announced that Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine bought their business when Shearer discovered a lump in her right breast.—
Eileen Finan,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The cash option is a one-time, lump-sum payment that is equal to all the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.—
Detroit Free Press,
Freep.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
By inserting an extra biochemical cycle into a model plant, the researchers boosted growth, seed yield, and fat production without increasing water demand.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
An increasing number of boys are lonely, isolated and confused, wrestling with the aftermath of the #MeToo movement and the expectations of rigid masculinity, which has been widely characterized as toxic.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What was once a rapidly accelerating movement now faces significant headwinds, with both external and internal pressures threatening to stall progress.—
Heather V. MacArthur,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
This innovative installation may hold one of the keys to accelerating a transition away from fossil fuels that scientists say is necessary if the world is to avoid the worst effects of climate change.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the article, Sanderson reported the location of the ship, so that other sailors could steer clear of the protruding masts.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The next week, a lighthouse keeper reported seeing the masts of the King protruding from the water in the shipping lane — an important clue regarding where the King lay hidden.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Pasamanick — who said she was disappointed nobody intervened or tried to help during the attack — was left with bites and bruises on her leg, while Sparky also had bite marks, per WESH 2 and WLBT.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
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Her words reopened a wound that’s always been there, like bruises after a football game that appear a day later, said Nwagbaraocha, the district staff member.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Both the governor and the secretary listed a combination of lower market prices for farm products plus rising fertilizer, machinery and labor costs as a severe squeeze on the farm economy.—
Cristina LaRue,
Arkansas Online,
16 Sep. 2025
-
China’s economy showed further signs of weakness last month, with key data Monday revealing factory output and consumption rising at their weakest pace for around a year.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Now the Icon Class family is expanding, with three equally hefty sister ships.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
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An artisan pizzeria with South Beach roots is expanding across the state.—
Jason Dill,
Miami Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In 2009, Tropicana replaced its familiar logo, an orange with a straw poking out, with a minimalist design featuring a glass of orange juice.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Routh allegedly came within a few hundred yards of Trump before a Secret Service agent spotted his rifle poking out of a tree line.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swelling. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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