SWELLS Synonyms: 189 Similar and Opposite Words

swells 1 of 2

noun

plural of swell

as in projections

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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as in waves

a moving ridge on the surface of water huge swells overwhelmed the tiny craft

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swells

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of swell

as in increases

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the club membership has really swelled in recent months

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as in expands

to make greater in size, amount, or number more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels

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as in protrudes

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

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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 swells

Noun

The swells flooded parts of the Pacific Coast Highway, forcing the closure of multiple stretches of the road in Huntington Beach. — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 Downes’ organ swells around her in sweeping, almost flutelike figures, taking the sour tones of her earlier keyboard work and stripping them down to evangelical simplicity. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026 California did not experience any rain or wind before massive swells overtook Laguna Beach, where a portion of the PCH remains closed as sections crack and slide down toward the ocean. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026 Mentions of data centers have, predictably, shot up across all three networks in recent months as political backlash against AI swells and the data centers themselves have become a salient issue ahead of the midterms. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Rachel’s swells are expected to generate life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions off Mexico’s coast, the NHC warned. — Fabiola Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Verb

Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the population swells in the summer months. — Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026 The Seaglider is designed to handle ocean swells up to a meter and a half high. — IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2026 These wetlands, connected to the river, act as natural reservoirs that absorb and hold water, especially when the river swells with meltwater or heavy rain. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 Each month, roughly a dozen are consistently in the audience, though the number swells depending on the agenda. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026 The ballad finds Fontaines’ Grian Chatten and Rosalía trading lines over a moody acoustic strum that repeatedly swells with strings and clattering drums. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 The greatest concern is high tide through Sunday morning and swells from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel could create dangerous conditions with beach erosion and seawater once again flooding beach roads and paths. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 Friday, the high tide in San Diego and La Jolla was coming in 17 inches higher than the official prediction, which doesn’t account for hotter-than-normal ocean waters or swells from tropical storms, according to NOAA’s tide forecasts. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026 Music, which has been the constant all-consuming river of his life, swells him into an adventure that will change him forever. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swells

Noun

Investors will be closely watching Fed chairman Kevin Warsh's statement following the decision for signals on future monetary policy projections.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Those projections will provide the first indication of how many seats each party may win and whether Netanyahu or his rivals appear better positioned to assemble a coalition.

— Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of projections

Noun

The Ritz-Carlton Spa floats out over the crashing waves, with its six pod-like pavilions inspired by traditional Malay fishing traps, or ‘bubus’.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
For beauty, artist Edwin Beltrán gave the bride soft Old Hollywood waves and natural yet glowy makeup.

— Shelby Wax, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of waves

Verb

Alabama facility expands production Lockheed Martin broke ground on an expansion of Building P-20 in Troy that will add 47,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
His comments come as Mastercard expands its involvement in digital assets, including through its acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK, which was completed in August.

— Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of expands

Verb

Ping Ping, the male, has dark black circles around his eyes, while Fu Shuang, the female, has a forehead that protrudes a bit, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Other animals on-site include a stable full of horses and Cowboy the tortoise, who is about the size of a lawnmower and whose head protrudes from what looks like a Venus flytrap made of bone.

— Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026