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

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

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

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

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

block, piece, portion, section

enlargement, escalation, expansion, increase

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

breaker, whitecap

riffle, ripple, wavelet

ground swell, roller

tidal wave, tsunami

Learn More about swell

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

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disparage

to speak slightingly about or to degrade