swallow

verb

swal·​low ˈswä-(ˌ)lō 

swallowed; swallowing; swallows

transitive verb

1

: to take through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach

2

: to envelop or take in as if by swallowing : absorb

swallow the financial loss

watch night swallow the valley

3

: to accept without question, protest, or resentment

swallow an insult

a hard story to swallow

4

: take back, retract

had to swallow my words

5

: to keep from expressing or showing : repress

swallowed my anger

6

: to utter (words) indistinctly

intransitive verb

1

: to receive something into the body through the mouth and esophagus

2

: to perform the action characteristic of swallowing something especially under emotional stress

swallowable

ˈswä-lō-ə-bəl 

adjective

swallower

ˈswä-lə-wər 

noun

Synonyms of swallow

• sip
• chew
• drink
• eat
• ingest

Examples of swallow in a Sentence

He swallowed the grape whole.

Chew your food well before you swallow.

The boss said, “Come in.” I swallowed hard and walked in.

Her story is pretty hard to swallow.

I can usually take criticism, but this is more than I can swallow.

Recent Examples on the Web

For ultimate privacy with all the Les Airelles trimmings, the hotel has brought three impossibly luxe chalets into the fold, each swallowing up to 15 guests for weeks of high-altitude hedonism. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026

Unfortunately — like many Big Brother seasons — there was also a lot of problematic behavior (please never let JC near an ice cream scooper ever again) along the way that made the entire installment a bit harder to swallow. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026

That was easier to swallow during the first three rounds, when others down the lineup picked up the slack. —Stephen Whyno, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026

As the Economist notes, the triple threat could feed some $4 trillion worth of value into the US stock market — if, that is, the market can keep them down, or even swallow them all in the first place. —Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English swalowen, from Old English swelgan; akin to Old High German swelgan to swallow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing swallow

• barn swallow
• cliff swallow
• tree swallow

Rhymes for swallow

• follow
• hollow
• malo
• wallow
• apollo
• criollo

Kids Definition

swallow

1 of 3 noun

swal·​low ˈswäl-ō 

1

: any of a family of small birds that have long pointed wings and usually a deeply forked tail and that feed on insects caught while in flight

2

: any of several birds that look like true swallows

swallow

2 of 3 verb

1

a

: to take into the stomach through the mouth and throat

b

: to perform the actions used in swallowing something

clear your throat and swallow before answering

2

: to take in as if by swallowing : engulf

3

: to accept or believe without question, protest, or anger

a hard story to swallow

4

: to keep from expressing or showing : repress

swallowed my anger

swallower

ˈswäl-ə-wər 

noun

swallow

3 of 3 noun

1

: an act of swallowing

2

: an amount that can be swallowed at one time

Etymology

Old English swealwe "the swallow"

Old English swelgan "to swallow"

Medical Definition

swallow

1 of 2 transitive verb

swal·​low ˈswäl-(ˌ)ō 

: to take through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach

intransitive verb

: to receive something into the body through the mouth and esophagus

swallow

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act of swallowing

2

: an amount that can be swallowed at one time