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
show current usage.
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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
-
Adding the grits to the pot slowly while stirring is key to the dish's creaminess and no lumps.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
But if the gland expands or droops, which is common with age, a portion of it can escape those confines, bulging out below the jawbone and appearing as a lump in the neck.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
14 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 protruding ribs and spiky hair are frozen in midair, like a cornered cat.—
Mary Wenthur,
Footwear News,
18 May 2026
-
Floating above the soundstage was a massive eyeball with a rainbow runway carpet protruding from it like a tongue.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
On this night, the hardwood bruises had given way to dirt and pine tar.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The baby’s siblings, most of whom were under the age of three, were found with marks, bruises, missing fingernails.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Like each previous year, a rolling promotional video, showcasing the achievements of China’s film industry, played on the large screen at the pavilion and captivated many attendees.—
Partner Content,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
With waterfalls and lush rolling hills, its landscape is at once jagged and stunning, enough to rival that of the more-popular Bora Bora.—
Skyli Alvarez,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to below forty per cent, the Iran war grinds on, and gas prices have been rising, as has inflation.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 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 19 May. 2026.
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