Synonyms of swelling

swelling 1 of 3

noun

ˈswe-liŋ 

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

• lump
• bruise
• bump
• nodule
• node
• tumor
• knot
• growth
• blister
• welt
• wart
• contusion
• hunch
• boil
• hump
• chunk
• clump
• knob
• blob
• gob
• nub
• hunk
• wad
• gobbet
• nugget
• clod
• nubble

swelling

2 of 3

adjective

as in surging

Related Words

• surging
• rolling
• rippled
• wavy
• rippling
• undulating
• undulant
• billowing
• undulatory
• rutted
• lopsided
• unaligned
• pocked
• rutty
• pitted
• unbalanced
• knobby
• inexact
• knobbly
• knurled
• nubby
• nubbly
• knurly

Dissimilar Words

• uniform
• exact
• true
• regular
• vertical
• aligned
• horizontal
• straight
• smooth
• level
• flat
• even
• tabular
• flush
• plumb
• plane

swelling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of swell

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

• increasing
• rising
• accelerating
• expanding
• climbing
• intensifying
• multiplying
• waxing
• ballooning
• escalating
• spreading
• accumulating
• enlarging
• mushrooming
• proliferating
• surging
• snowballing
• mounting
• booming
• burgeoning
• rolling up
• gaining
• jumping
• appreciating
• heightening
• skyrocketing
• building up
• distending
• rocketing
• peaking
• inflating
• redoubling
• puffing (up)
• bulking
• cresting
• blowing up
• crescendoing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreasing
• diminishing
• contracting
• lessening
• receding
• waning
• dwindling

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

• increasing
• accelerating
• expanding
• augmenting
• boosting
• multiplying
• raising
• extending
• escalating
• enhancing
• enlarging
• intensifying
• adding (to)
• compounding
• strengthening
• stoking
• reinforcing
• amplifying
• maximizing
• pumping up
• upping
• aggrandizing
• building up
• hyping
• skyrocketing
• distending
• lengthening
• stretching
• spiking
• supersizing
• dilating
• heightening
• inflating
• booming
• jumping
• bumping (up)
• supplementing
• developing
• elongating
• prolonging
• ratcheting (up)
• drawing out
• magnifying
• blowing up
• accumulating
• complementing
• fleshing (out)
• protracting
• racheting (up)
• beefing (up)
• amassing
• collecting
• following up
• parlaying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reducing
• decreasing
• diminishing
• lessening
• lowering
• dwindling
• downsizing
• subtracting (from)
• abating
• shortening
• curtailing
• abridging
• contracting
• minifying
• compressing
• abbreviating
• constricting
• condensing
• de-escalating
• cutting back
• retrenching

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

• protruding
• poking
• bulging
• jutting
• ballooning
• standing out
• billowing
• overhanging
• pouting
• sticking out
• projecting
• bellying
• bunching
• pouching
• pooching
• starting
• beetling
• bagging
• lengthening
• stretching
• extending
• doming
• distending
• dilating
• inflating
• expanding
• mushrooming
• snowballing
• elongating
• blowing up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shrinking
• contracting
• compressing
• condensing
• constricting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of swelling

Noun

Stages range from stage 0, which may not have visible symptoms, to stage 3, characterized by extreme swelling, with hard or thick skin and potentially decreased mobility, the NCI says. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Moore lives with chronic spontaneous urticaria, or CSU, in which hives, deeper swelling or both can recur for more than six weeks without a consistent, identifiable external trigger. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2026

Adjective

The hope was this would mean less swelling, less pain and, potentially, a significantly faster recovery. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 13 May 2026

Another effective anti-swelling remedy is a delicious snack that may be hiding in the fridge. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025

Verb

The sophomore missed his fourth consecutive game with a right knee injury after suffering a setback during last Wednesday’s practice caused swelling and led trainers to drain fluid from the joint. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026

Signs of major burns include fast swelling skin, deep wounds and leathery or charred skin, according to the Mayo Clinic. — Julia Hawkins, Idaho Statesman, 30 Oct. 2026