Synonyms of swells

swells 1 of 2

noun

plural of swell

1

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• projections
• bulges
• sections
• protuberances
• protrusions
• overhangs
• domes
• juts
• portions
• convexities
• pieces
• swellings
• blocks
• knots
• expansions
• bumps
• puffs
• snags
• increases
• lumps
• bunches
• hills
• mounds
• knobs
• humps
• dilatations
• blobs
• escalations
• obtrusions
• enlargements
• knurls
• gibbosities
• nubs

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pits
• cavities
• depressions
• hollows
• wells
• holes
• dents
• recesses
• valleys
• indentations
• craters
• dips
• basins
• bowls
• concavities
• indentures
• concaves
• indents
• grooves
• troughs
• pockets
• dints
• trenches
• furrows
• impressions
• notches
• dimples
• gouges

2

as in waves

a moving ridge on the surface of water

huge swells overwhelmed the tiny craft

Synonyms & Similar Words

• waves
• seas
• surges
• billows
• tsunamis
• ripples
• curls
• breakers
• whitecaps
• surfs
• rollers
• wavelets
• combers
• riffles
• tidal waves
• ground swells

swells

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of swell

1

as in increases

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

the club membership has really swelled in recent months

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increases
• rises
• accelerates
• expands
• climbs
• intensifies
• multiplies
• waxes
• surges
• accumulates
• proliferates
• spreads
• enlarges
• booms
• escalates
• mushrooms
• snowballs
• burgeons
• mounts
• jumps
• rolls up
• gains
• appreciates
• balloons
• builds up
• heightens
• distends
• inflates
• peaks
• skyrockets
• redoubles
• rockets
• crests
• bulks
• puffs (up)
• crescendoes
• blows up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreases
• diminishes
• recedes
• wanes
• lessens
• contracts
• dwindles

2

as in expands

to make greater in size, amount, or number

more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increases
• expands
• accelerates
• boosts
• augments
• raises
• multiplies
• extends
• intensifies
• amplifies
• enlarges
• enhances
• stokes
• adds (to)
• escalates
• reinforces
• ups
• maximizes
• strengthens
• aggrandizes
• compounds
• builds up
• hypes
• supersizes
• inflates
• jumps
• distends
• dilates
• pumps up
• spikes
• booms
• stretches
• develops
• heightens
• lengthens
• elongates
• magnifies
• skyrockets
• supplements
• prolongs
• bumps (up)
• draws out
• accumulates
• complements
• blows up
• protracts
• collects
• fleshes (out)
• ratchets (up)
• amasses
• rachets (up)
• beefs (up)
• follows up
• parlays

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreases
• reduces
• diminishes
• dwindles
• abates
• lessens
• lowers
• downsizes
• subtracts (from)
• shortens
• curtails
• abbreviates
• compresses
• minifies
• abridges
• constricts
• condenses
• de-escalates
• contracts
• retrenches
• cuts back

3

as in protrudes

to extend outward beyond a usual point

at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool

Synonyms & Similar Words

• protrudes
• pokes
• bulges
• juts
• billows
• stands out
• bellies
• overhangs
• sticks out
• projects
• pouts
• beetles
• pouches
• starts
• balloons
• bunches
• bags
• inflates
• pooches
• extends
• distends
• dilates
• stretches
• lengthens
• expands
• domes
• elongates
• mushrooms
• snowballs
• blows up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shrinks
• contracts
• compresses
• condenses
• constricts

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of swells

Noun

Due to changing storm patterns, the kelp forests are also battered by more damaging winter swells, according to Scripps associate researcher Ed Parnell. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 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

The surf-worthy Pacific swells provide excellent conditions for paddling out and riding waves. — Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026

The remnants of that storm also are causing big swells of waves in the ocean, and those are expected to keep having an impact on Bay Area beaches. — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026

Verb

But when an event swells to the size of a city — the New York City Marathon had nearly 60,000 finishers last year — climate risk is no longer solely a personal matter. — Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026

There is an art to stylizing a position of interrogation in excess of its biomechanics, an art to how lockstep beats a cadence while a unit swells into an enveloping arc. — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Forecasters are warning about dangerous conditions at Southern California beaches this week, with high surf, erosion and possible coastal flooding, as a pair of storms roil warm Pacific waters and send yet more southerly swells toward the shoreline. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

The space suddenly swells with agents, assistants, clients and others shuffling through for lunch. — Oren Peleg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

The impact jostled loose a few petals before the circle of blossoms slowly drifted away on the luminescent blue Bermudian swells. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

How levees work Levees are earthen embankments positioned parallel to a river that effectively raise the height of the banks of the river to prevent overflow when the river swells. — Kaleigh Yost, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Although no coastal watches or warnings were in effect, swells generated by Marie will continue to affect portions of southwest Mexico, the Baja California peninsula and Southern California for the next few days, the hurricane center said. — ABC News, 6 Sep. 2026

The chassis swells slightly to accommodate its nine-function toolset but still measures in with a length and width TJB compares to a pack of gum – and not one of those big desktop canisters, either. — New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026