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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Dissimilar Words
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
Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
His abdomen became very hard and distended.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
According to a July 2025 update, Elliot’s abdomen was very hard and distended.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
Boxing scenes in movies, other than in a handful of classics, tend to start to look all the same, a mishmash of beads of sweat and blood and jowels distended, all fists flying and battering as two men catapult and careen across the ring.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
My stomach wasn't distended anymore.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
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
Far more gut-wrenching were the toddlers with bellies distended from worms or malnutrition, the young adults with legs bent at odd angles caused by preventable polio, or the elderly fated never to set foot off an island in the Atlantic 34 miles long and 18 miles wide.
—Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 July 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
His abdomen became distended, and his behavior changed — enough to concern caregivers.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
His abdomen became very hard and distended.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
According to a July 2025 update, Elliot’s abdomen was very hard and distended.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
Boxing scenes in movies, other than in a handful of classics, tend to start to look all the same, a mishmash of beads of sweat and blood and jowels distended, all fists flying and battering as two men catapult and careen across the ring.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
My stomach wasn't distended anymore.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
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
Far more gut-wrenching were the toddlers with bellies distended from worms or malnutrition, the young adults with legs bent at odd angles caused by preventable polio, or the elderly fated never to set foot off an island in the Atlantic 34 miles long and 18 miles wide.
—Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distended
Adjective
-
Nolan developed esophageal varices, which are swollen veins in the esophagus that can burst and bleed.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Plant them alongside companion plants like potatoes, peppers, beans, or peas, but avoid garlic, onions, and other cruciferous plants that may increase the risk of both plants suffering from a fungal disease that causes swollen roots and eventual death.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Spring rains and winter snowmelt have swelled rivers and lakes, forcing torrents of water through Cheboygan County communities on its way to Lake Huron.—
Sarah Brumfield,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Spring rains and winter snowmelt have swelled rivers and lakes, forcing torrents of water through Cheboygan County communities on its way to Lake Huron.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What began seven years ago as a freewheeling alt-country outlet for Max Bottner, formerly of Indiana egg-punks Liquids and the anarchist hardcore band Side Action, eventually expanded to a full band.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
22 Apr. 2026
-
California expanded free transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds this school year.—
Moriah Balingit,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In Washington, teacher pay increased 36%.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Since then, and despite some notable lapses, the agency has steadily increased its protective methodologies, techniques and technologies to mitigate threats of varying degrees.—
Donald J. Mihalek,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Housing prices and rents are inflated by restrictive zoning laws, union work and pay scale mandates, excessive building codes and environmental requirements, litigation and planning process delays, anti-landlord policies that favor deadbeats and squatters, and the list goes on.—
Adam Summers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The front of the building would be modernized, but the back would be enlarged significantly.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Imaging suggested Bryan’s spleen might be enlarged, and there was blood in the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, though there was no active hemorrhage.—
Andrew Cunningham,
ArsTechnica,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distended. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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