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 choral elements on the record shine most vividly on the title track, which features polyphonic swells of voices humming melodies, overtaking the piano, dropping and then rising again. —

Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026 The island nation, vulnerable to the whims of the Atlantic, has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Danish firm Wavepiston to turn those crashing swells into a 50 MW power source. —

Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026 Inspired by 20th-century composers like Bartók and Britten, the Blue Nile consciously avoid the traditional pop song structures in favor of patient swells of intensity. —

Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 1 Feb. 2026 Even as the contestants arrive to begin the season, an important rowing portion of today's marooning challenge remains up in the air due to tumultuous swells. —

Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026 Farther north in the Bay Area, a powerful combination of abnormally high king tides, large swells caused by a storm hanging out in the eastern Pacific, and rainfall across the region has led to coastal flooding. —

Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026 Depending on the season, visitors and locals come for sunbathing, swimming, and surfing, the latter especially popular in winter thanks to cold-weather swells at the permanent surf spot near Lincoln Boulevard. —

Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2026 Oceans are much more vast, so vessels are much more likely to be dealing with swells — which are older, leftover waves coming from distant storms, Lenters said. —

Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 29 Dec. 2025 It has been correlated with swells of human progress and flourishing, science and technology, medicine and political freedom. —

Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025

Verb

Small craft should exercise caution near inlets due to long period swells, according to NWS Melbourne. —

Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026 No matter the chapter, no matter the group, in London everything swells together like a great Brazilian monochromatic gumbo. —

Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026 There will be large waves and swells along the entire stretch from New England to the Carolinas. —

Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026 The Cook County chief judge’s office has toughened protocols around its electronic monitoring program, making changes in the wake of high-profile incidents and as the office’s monitored population swells. —

Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026 While the summer high season swells with tourists, traveling in the shoulder seasons or even winter gives you a chance to tap into the mild climate, hike quieter paths, and score tables at the island’s top restaurants. —

Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026 Her toe swells to twice its size. —

Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026 But what happens when the detox is over and the chorus of text pings, slack dings and social media notifications swells throughout the rest of the year? —

Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026 While the number of retirees swells, the pool of workers funding the social safety net — and caring for the aging population — is narrowing. —

Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swells

Noun

Based on the committee’s projections, the Huskies could go head-to-head with Ralph’s squad in the Final Four.

— Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
FanGraphs’ ZiPS projections estimate no player on their roster will reach 20 home runs.

— Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026