swell 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of swellnext
1
as in great
of the very best kind what a swell time we had at the country club dance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in happening
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

swell

2 of 3

verb

ˈswel How to pronounce swell (audio)
1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the club membership has really swelled in recent months

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to expand
to make greater in size, amount, or number more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels

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3
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

swell

3 of 3

noun

1
as in projection
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wave
a moving ridge on the surface of water huge swells overwhelmed the tiny craft

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb swell differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of swell are amplify, dilate, distend, expand, and inflate. While all these words mean "to increase in size or volume," swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.

the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions

In what contexts can amplify take the place of swell?

The synonyms amplify and swell are sometimes interchangeable, but amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.

amplify the statement with details

When might dilate be a better fit than swell?

While the synonyms dilate and swell are close in meaning, dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.

dilated pupils

When could distend be used to replace swell?

The words distend and swell are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.

a distended abdomen

When would expand be a good substitute for swell?

Although the words expand and swell have much in common, expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts).

a business that expands every year

When is it sensible to use inflate instead of swell?

While in some cases nearly identical to swell, inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.

an inflated ego

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of swell
Adjective
Gardner, Edgerton, De Soto and other parts of southwest Johnson County are seeing their populations swell in recent years as more housing and industrial development comes online. —Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025 Killer Dana’s demise came with the build-out of the Dana Point Harbor in 1966, a county project that put boat moorings where waves once rolled into shore, the rock jetty blocking the swell energy. —Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
China’s medium-range missile arsenal has swelled from 600 a few years ago to 1,300 today, more than enough to decimate American bases in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025 Afterward, Tharp joined Copeland on stage, a bouquet of flowers in hand — the first of many, many colleagues and collaborators emerging from the wings to congratulate Copeland, as golden confetti rained down and the pile of bouquets on the stage swelled. —Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
Its 42-foot Torpedo RS is built with a more dramatic hourglass profile, enhanced by stylish stern winglets that deliver sharper turns and a drier ride in swells. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2025 The looming swell of federal agents could signal a new phase in that campaign. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for swell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swell
  1. great
  2. happening
  3. increase
  4. expand
  5. protrude
  6. projection
  7. wave
  8. excellent
Adjective
  • The Oppenheim Group's latest agent didn't get off to a great start with fellow soap alum Chrishell Stause.
    — Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
  • At great risk, Hamida disguises herself as a khes (a thick cotton cloth) seller and enters the house to plan with Lajo an escape route.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of great
Adjective
  • While the overarching trend for fall is still lowest maintenance possible, there's a bit more happening than your typical sunny blondes and balayage brunettes.
    — Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 2 Sep. 2020
  • What was once a sleepy college town next to a railroad stop is now one of the most happening cities in the state of Texas.
    — Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2018
Definition of happening
Verb
  • The cuts come after Chegg in May laid off 22% of its workforce, citing increasing adoption of AI.
    — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025
  • With increasing space traffic from various nations and private companies, keeping tabs on potential collisions and threats becomes crucial.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of increase
Verb
  • At the crux of those tensions are a gaping trade imbalance and efforts from the US to ensure its national security against an increasingly assertive China, including by expanding restrictions on China’s access to American high tech, like the advanced semiconductors needed to power AI.
    — Betsy Klein, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Seeing as how the first tribe swap failed to shake anything up and gave us two more obvious telegraphed votes, the producers decided to blow it all up again and expand back to three tribes.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of expand
Verb
  • Spider-y lash extensions protruded from her lash line, reaching to the bottom of her brows; a thin wing of black liner was drawn from the outer corners of her eyes.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The protruding bracket behind the air guide appears to be a cable guide, and the box behind the cable guide is a three-drive cage.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • With projections of more than 100,000 new spacecraft being launched by 2030, compared to roughly 10,000 in orbit today, agencies have been developing ways to limit debris growth, improve decommissioning protocols, and enhance protective design features.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Some Republicans dismiss projections that ACA premiums will more than double without the subsidies, calling them exaggerated and arguing the law has fueled fraud and abuse that must be curbed.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of projection
Noun
  • Bottom line Wall Street is back riding the artificial intelligence wave after a brief conflagration of AI bubble fears.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
  • If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of wave
Adjective
  • This is where the Greenpoint comes from, an excellent neo-classic riff on a Manhattan that was invented at Milk & Honey in New York, and comprises the classic build of Manhattan—rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters—into which has been spliced the inimitable French herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The Jayhawks did an excellent job of getting back in transition, limiting Louisville’s fast-break opportunities.
    — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of excellent

Browse Nearby Words

sweet tooth
swell
swelled
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Cite this Entry

“Swell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swell. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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