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
Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 27 May 2026
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
Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 27 May 2026
In his songs, the English language turned woolier and more expressionistic; musical space-time distended and stretched.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
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
Adjective
Fiber slows gastric emptying, making the stomach more distended.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 27 May 2026
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
Fiber slows gastric emptying, making the stomach more distended.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 27 May 2026
In his songs, the English language turned woolier and more expressionistic; musical space-time distended and stretched.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distended
Adjective
-
The physical exam, the fourth one of his second term came amid public scrutiny around visible bruises, skin discoloration and swollen ankles.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
-
Poor circulation can leave your legs feeling tired, heavy, swollen, and stiff.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
11 June 2026
Verb
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American ingenuity soon swelled the millionaire class to include titans of tobacco, steel, banking, even refrigerated railcars.—
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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My calves and thighs often throbbed, my waist ached and my knees swelled.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In the race to replace Phil Serna, epidemiologist and former Sacramento mayoral candidate Flo Cofer expanded her sizable lead over rival and Sacramento City Councilmember Eric Guerra compared to Friday’s returns.—
Reeti Malhotra
June 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
-
Haiti’s vulnerable ports As Haiti’s armed gangs have expanded and become more powerful, concerns about the security of the country’s seaports have grown.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Rainbow flick The chances of seeing this skill — some might call it a circus act — being performed at the World Cup this summer increased significantly on the back of Neymar being named in the Brazil squad.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Economic output has also increased, up 24% over the same period, government data show.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The billionaire population doubled to 291 within five years, then stretched to nearly 500 as the dot-com bubble inflated fortunes in the late 1990s.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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But in general, the prices hospitals post online are usually inflated and show how much each individual hospital charges for a specific procedure, not how much insurers actually pay or what patients would need to pay out of pocket, according to Carrasquillo.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The Tates had paid to have her teeth fixed, and then to have her breasts enlarged.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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That being said, at its actual best, my complexion is usually uneven, my pores enlarged, and my face dotted with hyperpigmentation.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distended. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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