as in lump
a small rounded mass of swollen tissue
the swelling at the site of the insect bite was not too concerning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in surging
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in increasing
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the club membership has really swelled in recent months
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accelerating
to make greater in size, amount, or number
more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of swelling
David J. Neal
may 6, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
But as the swelling continued to grow and symptoms like night sweats appeared, that sense of unease returned — this time, harder to ignore.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Eva Flowe
may 8, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
More recently, the DIAN network has helped researchers assess the drugs' side effects, which include swelling and bleeding in the brain.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for swelling
Noun
Mameniskis is familiar with the process, after being fined $5,000 in 2023 for ignoring a liposuction patient as the patient tried to contact him about her post-surgery swelling and fatigue.
—David J. Neal
may 6, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
But as the swelling continued to grow and symptoms like night sweats appeared, that sense of unease returned — this time, harder to ignore.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
Adjective
Another effective anti-swelling remedy is a delicious snack that may be hiding in the fridge.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Ice the area to reduce swelling.
—Eva Flowe
may 8, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
More recently, the DIAN network has helped researchers assess the drugs' side effects, which include swelling and bleeding in the brain.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for swelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swelling
Noun
-
The one exception is cocoa powder; those lumps need to be broken up.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
To fix this, the new recommendations include paying states a lump-sum immediately after a disaster strikes, instead of reimbursing them later for disaster costs.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
James Ward During the debate, Republican candidate Steve Hilton said that only a small percentage of California has been developed for housing, arguing that the state should focus on building homes on undeveloped land rather than increasing density in existing cities.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Doing so compresses the light reflected from the plasma, thereby increasing its intensity.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Anthropic also warned that highly capable AI models could dramatically improve offensive cyber operations by accelerating vulnerability discovery and attack planning.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
-
New research points to a mechanism within the Cascadia fault that could be accelerating a break.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Its panoramic views include the 25-metre lap pool below, the hills of Bandol across the sparkling cerulean water, and on the other side of the terrace, the rugged coastline with iconic Eagle Beak rock protruding from the distant horizon.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
According to court documents cited by Cleveland television station WJW, witnesses told investigators that Bryant was seen walking toward the Costco entrance with what appeared to be a drum magazine protruding from his pocket.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But by May 2027, the bruises suffered and the regrets carried may well be part of a different kind of journey.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Medical staff found catastrophic brain injuries and dozens of bruises across the child’s body, prosecutors said, per the outlets.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
This included cuts to CalFresh that began the day the bill passed and are scheduled to keep being implemented on a rolling basis through October 2027, according to the California Budget & Policy Center.—
Graham Womack
May 9,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
-
Senior housing transaction volume hit $24 billion on a rolling four-quarter basis through the end of 2025—the highest level in a decade—according to JLL’s 2026 Seniors Housing and Care Investor Survey and Trends Outlook, released in March.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Sentiment was hurt by the rising price of gas caused by the war, according to survey director Joanne Hsu.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
-
Our teachers are making an impact every day while working with increasing local demands, rising expectations, and with less state funding.—
Clinton McCracken,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
With revenue-sharing challenges mounting across college athletics — and some schools already cutting sports — expanding the playoff has become a potential financial lifeline.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
According to Abbott's office, the Texas Department of Public Safety is immediately expanding the Texas Repeat Offender Taskforce to the Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin metropolitan areas.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swelling. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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