Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

swell

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of swell

1 of the very best kind

  • what a swell time we had at the country club dance
Synonyms of swell

A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (also bonnie) [chiefly British], boss [slang], brag, brave, bully, bumper, capital, choice, classic, cool [slang], corking, crackerjack, cracking, dandy, divine, dope [slang], down [slang], dynamite, excellent, fab, fabulous, famous, fantabulous [slang], fantastic, fine, first-class, first-rate, first-string, five-star, four-star, frontline, gangbusters (also gangbuster), gilt-edged (or gilt-edge), gone [slang], grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype [slang], immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous (or marvellous), mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one (also No. 1), numero uno, out-of-sight [slang], par excellence, peachy, peachy keen, phat [slang], prime, primo [slang], prize, prizewinning, quality, radical [slang], righteous [slang], sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, top-of-the-line, top-shelf, topflight, topping [chiefly British], unsurpassed, wizard [chiefly British], wonderful
Words Related to swell

acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK (or okay), passable, satisfactory, tolerable

better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine

classical, standard, traditional
Phrases Synonymous with swell

out of this world, too much
Near Antonyms of swell

bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory

mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate
Antonyms of swell

atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched

2 being in the latest or current fashion

  • in its heyday as a summer resort, the town was known for its swanky hotels and swell restaurants
Synonyms of swell

à la mode (also a la mode), au courant, chic, cool [slang], exclusive, fashionable, fresh [slang], happening, hip, in, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish, supercool, swish, trendy, voguish
Words Related to swell

downtown, edgy, funky

dapper, dashing, dressy, kicky, natty, rakish, sassy, saucy, spiffy, spruce

chichi, classy, flossy, haute (also haut), nobby, posh, ritzy, soigné (or soignée), swank (or swanky)

elegant, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined, sophisticated, stately, tasteful, understated

doggish, doggy, flashy, gallant

dandyish, dudish, foppish

ultrachic, ultracool, ultrahip, ultraposh, ultrasmart, ultrasophisticated
Near Antonyms of swell

cheesy, tacky, unattractive, unbecoming

graceless, inelegant, tasteless, trashy, unhandsome

frowsy (or frowzy), sloppy, slovenly, unkempt, untidy

disheveled (or dishevelled), messy, mussy, rumpled, wrinkled

shabby, sleazy
Antonyms of swell

dowdy, out, outmoded, styleless, unchic, uncool, unfashionable, unmodish, unstylish

swell

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of swell

1 to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

  • the club membership has really swelled in recent months
Synonyms of swell

accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon (also bourgeon), climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, increase, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, wax
Words Related to swell

jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge

heighten, intensify, redouble

blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up)

crescendo, crest, peak
Antonyms of swell

contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane

2 to make greater in size, amount, or number

  • more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels
Synonyms of swell

accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, up
Words Related to swell

boom, jump, skyrocket, spike

bump (up), ratchet (up) also rachet (up)

blow up, dilate, distend, inflate

draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch

develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify

complement, supplement

beef (up), reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen

maximize

accumulate, amass, collect

follow up, parlay
Near Antonyms of swell

abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten

compress, condense, constrict, contract

cut back, retrench
Antonyms of swell

abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)

3 to extend outward beyond a usual point

  • at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool
Synonyms of swell

bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bulge, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pooch [chiefly dialect], pouch, pout, project, protrude, stand out, start, stick out
Words Related to swell

dome

blow up, inflate

dilate, distend, expand

mushroom, snowball

elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch
Near Antonyms of swell

compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

Synonym Discussion of swell

expand, amplify, swell, distend, inflate, dilate mean to increase in size or volume. expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts).
    • a business that expands every year
amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.
    • amplify the statement with details
swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.
    • the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions
distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.
    • a distended abdomen
inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.
    • an inflated ego
dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.
    • dilated pupils

swell

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of swell

1 a part that sticks out from the general mass of something

  • the graceful swell of the bottle was meant to be evocative of the female figure
Synonyms of swell

bulge, bunch, convexity, jut, overhang, projection, protrusion, protuberance
Words Related to swell

dome

blob, bump, dilatation, gibbosity, hump, knob, knot, knurl, lump, nub, obtrusion, puff, snag, swelling

block, piece, portion, section

enlargement, escalation, expansion, increase

hill, mound
Near Antonyms of swell

crater, hole, well

basin, bowl, dip, valley

furrow, groove, trench, trough

dimple, gouge, impression, notch, pocket
Antonyms of swell

cavity, concave, concavity, dent, depression, dint, hollow, indent, indentation, indenture, pit, recess

2 a moving ridge on the surface of water

  • huge swells overwhelmed the tiny craft
Synonyms of swell

billow, surge, wave
Words Related to swell

sea(s)

surf

breaker, whitecap

comber, curl

riffle, ripple, wavelet

ground swell, roller

tidal wave, tsunami

Learn More about swell

  1. See words that rhyme with swell Dictionary: Definition of swell Medical Dictionary: Definition of swell Spanish Central: Translation of swell Nglish: Translation of swell for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of swell for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up swell? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

mawkish

exaggeratedly or childishly emotional

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. nationalism, nationalist Trump makes claims at Texas rally

  2. rogue Trump speculates on Saudi journalist's fate

  3. nepotism Trump muses about Ivanka UN appointment

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games