bulging 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of bulgingnext
1
as in swollen

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in bursting

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

bulging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bulge
1
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point the sides of the returning camper's suitcase bulged with a month's worth of dirty laundry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in buzzing
to be copiously supplied this guidebook to San Francisco positively bulges with useful information

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bulging
Adjective
And the big, bulging, muscles that let Hulk SMASH so effectively aren't the same as carrying a lot of excess fat. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2021 Indian streamer ALTBalaji has revealed a focus on the burgeoning Indian youth market and a bulging slate. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Sep. 2021
Verb
Dodgers two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani waddled through the clubhouse after the Dodgers’ 4-3 comeback victory against the Padres on Friday night, the bulging ice wraps around his left knee and right arm creating a penguin-like effect to his gait. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026 Schoenaerts menacingly grins his way through the movie, with appealingly bulging eyes. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bulging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bulging
  1. swollen
  2. brimming
  3. protruding
  4. bursting
  5. protuberant
  6. filled
  7. poking
  8. buzzing
Adjective
  • Afterward, her face was so swollen that her daughter, Ana Corina, could barely recognize her.
    — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • Man kayaks Texas river during flash flood swelling The video drew attention online as flooding continued across parts of Texas, with officials warning residents to stay away from swollen rivers and creeks.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Definition of swollen
Adjective
  • Combine these free-flowering, compact cascaders with bold uprights like canna lilies or coleus and textural fillers like euphorbia and lantana to keep your display balanced and brimming.
    — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 14 May 2026
  • Exhausting, exhilarating softball in which to spend my body’s force—that in the morning—then in the afternoon, the brimming, hearty stew of family life.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Definition of brimming
Verb
  • While Kali’s protruding tongue is sometimes interpreted as a gesture of embarrassment or shame, the Rolling Stones’ logo reimagines it as a symbol of protest and antiestablishment sentiment.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 July 2026
  • Archaeologists surveying the area in 2020 came across human bones protruding from the ground.
    — Allen Breed, Fortune, 17 July 2026
Definition of protruding
Verb
  • Call it the canary yellow uniforms in the coal mine — except the Red Sox have shot up the elevator shaft, bursting from their subterranean crypt.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • All that was missing was a second goal, which Mikel Merino provided once again, bursting onto the field like a bolt of lightning from the bench in the closing minutes.
    — Juan Claudio Matossian, Vanity Fair, 19 July 2026
Definition of bursting
Adjective
  • And the rear of the case is deeper to accommodate a protuberant rear camera—hinting that the next iPad will see a big camera upgrade.
    — David Phelan, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2022
  • His eyesight was failing and his eyes were bloodshot and protuberant.
    — Hermione Lee, The New York Review of Books, 21 Sep. 2022
Definition of protuberant
Adjective
  • The Wall Street Journal featured Reese alongside WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson on its magazine cover, even after Caitlin Clark broke numerous records, filled arenas, and set new marks for WNBA broadcasts.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
  • The new system allows citations to be transmitted electronically and enter the court records system pre-filled.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of filled
Verb
  • Ant hills aren’t just ugly mounds poking through your beautiful green yard.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
  • The math moves without touching the money supply and poking inflation expectations.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of poking
Verb
  • The buzzing bees reference the honey barrels from which the vessel was constructed.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
  • Drones were buzzing overhead, flying above us; they were being shot down.
    — Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Definition of buzzing

Browse Nearby Words

bulges
bulging
bulk
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bulging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bulging. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bulging

Nglish: Translation of bulging for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All