dilate

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dilate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dilate are amplify, distend, expand, inflate, and swell. While all these words mean "to increase in size or volume," dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.

dilated pupils

When is amplify a more appropriate choice than dilate?

In some situations, the words amplify and dilate are roughly equivalent. However, amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.

amplify the statement with details

When can distend be used instead of dilate?

The words distend and dilate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.

a distended abdomen

Where would expand be a reasonable alternative to dilate?

Although the words expand and dilate have much in common, expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts).

a business that expands every year

When is it sensible to use inflate instead of dilate?

The synonyms inflate and dilate are sometimes interchangeable, but inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.

an inflated ego

When would swell be a good substitute for dilate?

The words swell and dilate can be used in similar contexts, but swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.

the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions

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 dilate As the images progress, the left pupil shrinks to a narrow black speck while the right eye remains normally dilated, giving the feline an unmistakably lopsided expression. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025 Amlodipine Amlodipine is used to treat high blood pressure by blocking the entry of calcium into the blood vessels, which dilates them and reduces blood pressure. Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 25 Aug. 2025 Upon examination, the patient's eyes were bloodshot and his pupil was fixed and dilated. Sabienna Bowman, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025 In dim light, cat pupils dilate into circles, humanizing their eyes. Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dilate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilate
Verb
  • The fear grew when her 1-year-old boy's belly started to distend and his ribs were pressed against his skin.
    Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The effect is to both collapse and distend time until all the souls in the book, most of them nameless anyway, exist at the same time, in the same place, forever.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • While some of those numbers were perhaps inflated by PED use, there's no doubt that Ramírez was born to hit.
    Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Chan frequently cashed out management, sick and vacation hours, which inflated his total wages to among the highest in the state for city employees.
    Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The dress included thin halter straps and a plunging, sweetheart neckline, with sheer fabric at the waist and skirt augmented by floral embroidery.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Avery’s model augments the traditional VC model.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Investors cheered the improbable rise of the amateur heavy metal drummer and hard-line conservative, who’s expected to increase defense spending, cut taxes, and revive Japan’s nuclear power industry.
    Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The salt in your food can increase fluid retention in your kidneys, potentially leading to elevated blood pressure,’’ said Pianko.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • When a snowstorm blows up suddenly and socks in the entire area, Lester and Mike begin a search that soon expands with the aid of local neighbors and law enforcement.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The Functional Fabric Fair has also expanded its speaker programming to provide forward-thinking insights and solutions to current challenges.
    SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The town gradually raised the money not just to reconstruct it but to enlarge and improve it, adding new facilities for disabled children.
    Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Testosterone can increase the chances of the prostate becoming enlarged, causing blockage of urine.
    Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Lina Thomas, commodities strategist with Goldman Sachs Research, said in a video posted on Thursday the swelling price of gold is more than hype.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025
  • When torrential rains hit a swath of Mexico last week, the Cazones River swelled so fast there was virtually no time to flee.
    Cristopher Rogel Blanquet, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The partnership aims to accelerate the path to commercial fusion energy by using AI to simulate and improve control of the superhot plasma that will fuel the machine.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Still, many within the nuclear energy industry are hopeful that utilizing federal and public lands would accelerate the buildout of new reactors by reducing delays often encountered throughout the state and federal permitting process.
    Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilate. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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