1
: something that is swollen
specifically
: an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement
2
: the condition of being swollen
Examples of swelling in a Sentence
There was a swelling above her eye.
The swelling around her eye should subside in a few days.
Recent Examples on the Web
The daughter, who is pregnant, and mother, suffering severe ankle swelling, both needed medical attention but had no idea how to get help.
—
Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The burns cause swelling, the airways close, and the victim can asphyxiate.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 22 May 2026
Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, and the disease can lead to pneumonia symptoms, brain swelling, permanent disability and in a relatively low number of cases, death.
—Simon Ellery, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The injury was initially diagnosed as a muscle strain but, as the swelling went down in his thumb, Zoll said Rodriguez was still dealing with soreness in his joint.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for swelling
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Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The burns cause swelling, the airways close, and the victim can asphyxiate.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 22 May 2026
Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, and the disease can lead to pneumonia symptoms, brain swelling, permanent disability and in a relatively low number of cases, death.
—Simon Ellery, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The injury was initially diagnosed as a muscle strain but, as the swelling went down in his thumb, Zoll said Rodriguez was still dealing with soreness in his joint.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for swelling
Cite this Entry
“Swelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swelling. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
swelling
noun
swell·ing
ˈswel-iŋ- 
: an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement
an inflammatory swelling
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