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
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
Chemtrails draws you into a different speed, a distended sense of time and sound.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2021
Adjective
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
Chemtrails draws you into a different speed, a distended sense of time and sound.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distended
Verb
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The White House did note that the tariffs can be expanded.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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Another commenter expanded on this, pointing to the food and utensil choices as dead giveaways of American eating.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Instead of service being needed every 3,000 miles, it is expected to be increased to a range of 15,000 to 20,000 miles.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
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The case occurred in a trial that quickly increased the dose of the pill over a short period of time, the spokesperson said.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Prepare for the world’s biggest bounce house to be inflated in the Sacramento area this weekend.—
Marcus D. Smith,
Sacramento Bee,
24 Mar. 2025
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Its workers routinely inflated the results to scare their bosses.—
Fred Weir,
The Christian Science Monitor,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The stadium enlarged along with United’s trophy cabinet.—
Michael Walker,
The Athletic,
15 Mar. 2025
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Their presence has also enlarged the labor force, helping businesses fill vacancies in understaffed sectors.—
Lidia Kurasinska,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distended. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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