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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of swells
Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
The most harrowing experience of the crew’s Pacific crossing came a few days into the row when huge swells brought seasickness and harsh conditions.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Less than a day earlier, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen had been plucked from 3-foot swells by helicopters and transported them roughly one mile to the USS Murtha.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
Only the swells from the clusters of UConn fans could be heard by the end of their 71-62 victory in the national semifinals.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
Only 2200 of them remain, having staved off swells of economic uncertainty, retaining their Irish accents and ways of life.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
When combined with mega high tides and big swells, waves may batter beaches, causing severe erosion.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
But rather than big Hawaiian swells, these waves were the crashing sounds of social media users poking fun at the look of the upcoming Disney film.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The water in Tomales Bay, a narrow inlet northeast of Point Reyes, was choppy Saturday, with swells as high as 3 feet, the sheriff’s statement said.
—Alyce McFadden, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 8 May 2026
As the orchestra swells, a voice slowly surfaces.
—Ben Cardew, Pitchfork, 2 May 2026
Backlash swells to Russia web crackdown Public backlash is growing in Russia in response to Moscow’s efforts to tighten control over the internet.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
With each passing year, the sentimental value only swells.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
And as the brightening world starts to resume familiar form, the glorious chorus swells with the songs of blue tits, goldfinches, chaffinches.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
What really surprised the rather unflappable ISS and Glass Lewis was a tax reimbursement of $334 million that swells the total payout to $886 million.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Now, this subsequent Riyadh opening in Al Takhasoussi, the capital’s de facto restaurant quarter, has been a soar-away success, with the dining room still running at full tilt every day of the week as a virtual queue swells into the hundreds.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The riverside land designated for Feather River Park covers a swath of floodplain, which takes on water when the river swells, and riverfront trails south of Marysville.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
Jan Jansen, captured on the swells of the Atlantic by Muslim pirates, left behind a wife and four daughters in his native Haarlem.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
The most harrowing experience of the crew’s Pacific crossing came a few days into the row when huge swells brought seasickness and harsh conditions.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Less than a day earlier, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen had been plucked from 3-foot swells by helicopters and transported them roughly one mile to the USS Murtha.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
Only the swells from the clusters of UConn fans could be heard by the end of their 71-62 victory in the national semifinals.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
Only 2200 of them remain, having staved off swells of economic uncertainty, retaining their Irish accents and ways of life.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
When combined with mega high tides and big swells, waves may batter beaches, causing severe erosion.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
But rather than big Hawaiian swells, these waves were the crashing sounds of social media users poking fun at the look of the upcoming Disney film.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The water in Tomales Bay, a narrow inlet northeast of Point Reyes, was choppy Saturday, with swells as high as 3 feet, the sheriff’s statement said.
—Alyce McFadden, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
The guilt swells and swells while the sweater sits and sits.
—Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 8 May 2026
As the orchestra swells, a voice slowly surfaces.
—Ben Cardew, Pitchfork, 2 May 2026
Backlash swells to Russia web crackdown Public backlash is growing in Russia in response to Moscow’s efforts to tighten control over the internet.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
With each passing year, the sentimental value only swells.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
And as the brightening world starts to resume familiar form, the glorious chorus swells with the songs of blue tits, goldfinches, chaffinches.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
What really surprised the rather unflappable ISS and Glass Lewis was a tax reimbursement of $334 million that swells the total payout to $886 million.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Now, this subsequent Riyadh opening in Al Takhasoussi, the capital’s de facto restaurant quarter, has been a soar-away success, with the dining room still running at full tilt every day of the week as a virtual queue swells into the hundreds.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The riverside land designated for Feather River Park covers a swath of floodplain, which takes on water when the river swells, and riverfront trails south of Marysville.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swells
Noun
-
At the top of the team scoring projections and the timing board, the CIF Southern Section Division 1 swimming championships looked familiar at several spots on Saturday.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
-
The truth likely lies between official denial and worst-case projections.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
For its part, Viking is making waves in the South Atlantic, a region that rarely sees repositioning cruises.—
Scott Laird,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
-
The outlooks, published every six hours throughout the season, flag tropical waves or potential disturbances that the center is watching for potential development.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Posting on multiple platforms simultaneously increases your reach, but be aware that spreading the budget evenly across all of them generally doesn't work.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
The vote signifies the latest push by the group to slow or halt wage increases for tourism workers in the city, increases that hospitality and service worker unions have pushed for to coincide with the 2028 Olympics.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The move aims to improve traceability and accountability as China’s humanoid robotics industry rapidly expands.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
-
Yes—putting metaphorical pen to page is fundamental, but so, too, is nurturing that which expands my literary capacity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
These are more likely to cause painless rectal bleeding or tissue that protrudes during a bowel movement.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Part of it protrudes from the exterior, with natural airflow helping keep the food inside chilled.—
Adam Williams
March 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Scientists usually expect the central bulges of elliptical galaxies to form rapidly and thus be dominated by low-mass stars.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The tree is resting on wires as the root of the tree bulges up from the ground along William Penn Highway, a major roadway in the county.—
Mamie Bah,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Racine quickly rises, beats the bullies, and then returns to sit next to her sister.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
As the meter rises, each ride becomes a space for connection and storytelling, where Kareem learns about the lives of the people behind the wheel and ultimately discovers a little more about himself.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The companies that structure their data for agents now, rather than locking it inside app interfaces, will be better positioned as that transition accelerates.—
Zach Lloyd,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
-
Makary has touted his accomplishments as commissioner, including his priority voucher program that accelerates review times for certain drugs.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swells. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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