bloated; bloating; bloats
1
a
: to make turgid or swollen
b
: to cause abdominal distension in
2
: to fill to capacity or overflowing
1
a
: one that is bloated
b
: unwarranted or excessive growth or enlargement
bureaucratic bloat
2
: digestive disturbance of ruminant animals and especially cattle marked by accumulation of gas in one or more stomach compartments
3
: a condition of large dogs marked by distension and usually life-threatening rotation of the stomach
Examples of bloat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 Oct. 2025
Their system reduces the layers that typically bloat production timelines.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Paris Barraza, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
If bloating shows up, scale back slightly and reintroduce fiber more gradually.
—Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Some major private donors are withdrawing contributions in disgust, and the federal and some state governments, as well as the courts, have attacked higher education’s administrative bloat and anti-merit DEI policies.
—Richard K. Vedder, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bloat
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Adjective
As streaming platforms bloat with endless offerings and attention spans shrink, the likelihood that anything will stick seems increasingly atypical.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 Oct. 2025
Their system reduces the layers that typically bloat production timelines.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
The board had previously rescheduled Tuesday’s meeting, a move that came off the heels of several unions, including UTLA, calling for the board not to vote on such a key matter in a meeting bloated by other agenda items.
—Paris Barraza, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
If bloating shows up, scale back slightly and reintroduce fiber more gradually.
—Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
Another popular explanation is administrative bloat.
—Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Some major private donors are withdrawing contributions in disgust, and the federal and some state governments, as well as the courts, have attacked higher education’s administrative bloat and anti-merit DEI policies.
—Richard K. Vedder, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bloat
Cite this Entry
“Bloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloat. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
bloat
1 of 2 transitive verb
: to make turgid:
a
: to produce edema in
b
: to cause or result in accumulation of gas in the digestive tract of
cucumbers sometimes bloat me
c
: to cause abdominal distension in
: to become turgid
bloat
2 of 2 noun1
: a digestive disturbance of ruminant animals and especially cattle marked by accumulation of gas in one or more stomach compartments
2
a
: a condition of large dogs marked by distension and usually life-threatening rotation of the stomach
b
: any flatulent digestive disturbance of domestic animals
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