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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
1
as in swollen
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in bursting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bulging
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
Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
But now, as the result of hours spent training in the gym, Draper boasts an imposing frame with biceps visibly bulging from underneath his t-shirt.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bulging
Verb
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
Adjective
To be a real man, according to this content, young adolescent boys are expected to be tall and broad-shouldered with bulging biceps, pronounced trapezius muscles, and washboard abs.
—Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
But now, as the result of hours spent training in the gym, Draper boasts an imposing frame with biceps visibly bulging from underneath his t-shirt.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bulging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bulging
Verb
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Deputy Thomas Zajac, first on the scene, found Heskett kneeling in the grass near the park’s Old Mill Trail, grasping a pocketknife protruding from his abdomen.—
Andi Babineau,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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Keta’s long layers fell on the sides of her face, while the back was noticeably teased and twisted with spiky pieces protruding out.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
So with Fenway Park bursting with anticipation on Friday night, the pressure ratcheted up against the Detroit Tigers, Chapman narrowed his focus — not just to the catcher’s mitt, but the laces within its webbing.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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While the first game trafficked in elegant neatness, Hades II is practically bursting at the seams with excess.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The stretchy upper was able to accommodate her swollen feet throughout the day without causing any major pain.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
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My throat was scorched, my tongue was swollen — and the acid would not stop coming.—
Jack Korngold,
Rolling Stone,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The first meetup drew dozens of participants poking at pudding cups together.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
3 Oct. 2025
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The underground pop of the 2010s used to get so excited about being online, using shrinky-dink artifice to delight in poking fun at a culture that could feel shallow and strange but also organic and endlessly renewable.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The crowd should be buzzing and the ball should be flying at Nippert Stadium.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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The 48,000 Yankee faithful will be buzzing.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Whereas Vaslav’s unorthodox looks infatuated many people, hers (protuberant teeth and lips, stocky body, flat chest, powerful thighs) alienated many.—
Alastair Macaulay,
The New York Review of Books,
29 Dec. 2022
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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
Adjective
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Streamline applications with pre-filled forms, especially to support internal mobility where workloads are high or digital access is limited.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The photo clearly shows the feline's dilated pupils and ears backward, which is exactly what cats look like when mad.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, Angelo’s crooked corset, Joan’s shredded gown, and team leader Ethan’s bizarre jumpsuit — which reminds Law of a dilated cervix — end up on the bottom.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bulging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bulging. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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