as in swollen
enlarged beyond normal from internal pressure
bees with abdomens distended with honey are less apt to sting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in swelled
to make or become larger especially because of pressure from inside
The illness can cause the stomach to distend.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distended
Emma Flint, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025
Once per act, a second duo crashes in on Didi and Gogo, providing the tramps’ power balance with a lurid, distended foil.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Following too much pasta or one too many sweet treats, my stomach gets quite sensitive—resulting in a feeling of tightness and a distended, rumbling tummy.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 20 May 2025
Bloating causes your belly to feel full and look distended.
—Kathleen Felton, Health, 9 June 2024
But for all its brawn and atmosphere and robustly choreographed combat, this is a distended historical tapestry too sprawling to remain compelling, particularly when its focus veers away from the central couple.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
In the last 20 days, their belly will appear distended, and their nipples and breast tissue will be noticeably swollen.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The distended episodes were littered with what feels like filler, little of which offered much in the way of narrative value.
—Emma Flint, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025
Once per act, a second duo crashes in on Didi and Gogo, providing the tramps’ power balance with a lurid, distended foil.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Following too much pasta or one too many sweet treats, my stomach gets quite sensitive—resulting in a feeling of tightness and a distended, rumbling tummy.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 20 May 2025
Bloating causes your belly to feel full and look distended.
—Kathleen Felton, Health, 9 June 2024
But for all its brawn and atmosphere and robustly choreographed combat, this is a distended historical tapestry too sprawling to remain compelling, particularly when its focus veers away from the central couple.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
The fragile skeleton of her ego threatened to snap under the pressure of the animal forces that pressed down on her consciousness, her narrative mind sagging and distended beneath pitiless and grandiose feeling.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
In the last 20 days, their belly will appear distended, and their nipples and breast tissue will be noticeably swollen.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distended
Adjective
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Trump has attributed bruising on his hands to his heavy intake of aspirin to thin his blood and swollen ankles to chronic venous insufficiency.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
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If the cans are only swollen, the food may be safe to eat.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Anger swelled again in August 2024 after the Detroit Free Press broke the story locally that the landfill was preparing to take 6,000 cubic yards of soil and concrete with elevated radioactivity from the Niagara Falls Storage Site in Lewiston, New York.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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But Peacock’s losses swelled to $552 million in the fourth quarter as the streaming service absorbed the expense of NBC’s NBA TV rights agreement and an exclusive NFL game.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Global capability centers and captives, particularly in India and other low-cost locations, have expanded rapidly.—
Peter Bendor-Samuel,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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In recent years, the festival has expanded its offerings to attendees, including beers from outside the country, non-alcoholic beers, ciders and even some hard liquors.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That figure is used to determine the league’s cut, which for all local TV deals has since increased from 34% to 48%.—
Maury Brown,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, the average new car payment has increased by $300, or more than 35%, since then to $769.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But some of the offensive numbers have been inflated by nonconference results and SEC outliers.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
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Make sure that the spare tire is properly inflated and the lug wrench and jack are still in the car.—
John Paul,
The Providence Journal,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That explains why bus drivers don’t have enlarged hippocampi.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
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Enabled by revolutionary advances in communications, computers, and shipping, multinational firms dramatically reduced their costs and enlarged their markets by developing global supply and distribution chains.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distended. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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