as in blown
enlarged beyond normal from internal pressure
a swollen ankle from a sprain
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Recent Examples of swollen
By December, her condition had worsened—a pain in her abdomen had emerged as well as more swollen lymph nodes—and she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that affects a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes.
—
Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Consuming turmeric can relieve swollen and painful joints for people with chronic conditions.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Our own Metropolitan Museum displays a copy of that swollen right-hand — cast in bronze for Saint-Gaudens in the 1880s.
—Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
His face was also red and swollen.
—Erika Stanish, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Every winter, garbage carried by swollen rivers in the region accumulates downstream, eventually piling up by barriers installed by a hydro power plant in Visegrad.
—Eldar Emric, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Trump has attributed bruising on his hands to his heavy intake of aspirin to thin his blood and swollen ankles to chronic venous insufficiency.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
If the cans are only swollen, the food may be safe to eat.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
If a can is bulging, swollen, rusted or badly dented, throw it out.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Consuming turmeric can relieve swollen and painful joints for people with chronic conditions.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Our own Metropolitan Museum displays a copy of that swollen right-hand — cast in bronze for Saint-Gaudens in the 1880s.
—Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
His face was also red and swollen.
—Erika Stanish, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Every winter, garbage carried by swollen rivers in the region accumulates downstream, eventually piling up by barriers installed by a hydro power plant in Visegrad.
—Eldar Emric, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Trump has attributed bruising on his hands to his heavy intake of aspirin to thin his blood and swollen ankles to chronic venous insufficiency.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
If the cans are only swollen, the food may be safe to eat.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
If a can is bulging, swollen, rusted or badly dented, throw it out.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swollen
Adjective
-
The distended episodes were littered with what feels like filler, little of which offered much in the way of narrative value.—
Emma Flint,
IndieWire,
25 Nov. 2025
-
Once per act, a second duo crashes in on Didi and Gogo, providing the tramps’ power balance with a lurid, distended foil.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The restaurant serves both traditional pancakes and a German-style pancake baked until puffed and golden, a menu item that has helped set it apart over the decades.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
18 Jan. 2026
-
The look featured a hood and a puffed silhouette.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swollen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swollen. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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