swelling 1 of 3

noun

ˈswe-liŋ How to pronounce swelling (audio)
Definition of swellingnext
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

swelling

2 of 3

adjective

as in surging

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

swelling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of swell
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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of swelling
Noun
Measles can cause serious short- and long-term health problems, including pneumonia and brain swelling. — Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026 The bird has several minor wounds with areas of swelling, but x-rays showed nothing was broken, according to the wildlife center. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The hope was this would mean less swelling, less pain and, potentially, a significantly faster recovery. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 13 May 2026 Another effective anti-swelling remedy is a delicious snack that may be hiding in the fridge. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Pain, swelling around a joint, and stiffness in the muscles or ligaments around the joint are just some reasons movement may become restricted. — Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, HEALTH, 17 Aug. 2026 Additionally, more than 100 reports of serious adverse events, mostly cases of patients being hospitalized for swelling, respiratory, and heart complications, have been reported to the FDA. — Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swelling
  1. lump
  2. surging
  3. increasing
  4. accelerating
  5. protruding
  6. bruise
  7. rolling
  8. rising
Noun
  • Then there’s the fact that many potential investors aren’t quite sure what to make of a company from a mostly empty lump of volcanic rock in the middle of the North Atlantic.
    — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The process produces pebble-sized lumps called clinker, which are then ground into cement powder.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of lump
Adjective
  • The move highlights how surging demand for AI computing capacity is drawing institutional investors, as governments, companies and startups race to build out data centers to support AI workloads.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of surging
Verb
  • Qantas said demand for international travel remained strong, with both Qantas and its low-cost carrier Jetstar increasing capacity and unit revenue, although higher fuel costs weighed on international earnings.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • His foundation is aiming to spend $200 billion by 2045 with an increasing focus on AI.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of increasing
Verb
  • That would mean accelerating from Indonesia's roughly 5% decade-long growth average while keeping the deficit below its 3% statutory ceiling.
    — Celestine Iyer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • For Kraft Heinz, that’s accelerating a shift already underway in Europe toward shorter ingredient lists, smaller portions, and more high-protein products.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of accelerating
Verb
  • Tropical Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, is native to tropical climates in Asia and produces dramatic, vibrant flowers that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter with protruding stamens.
    — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Akhenaten, who may have been the boy-king’s father, was depicted in artwork as having wide hips and a protruding belly, which stood out from portraits of other Egyptian royalty.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of protruding
Noun
  • Worth noting Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to a right elbow bruise.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • One of the book’s more memorable revelations details a physical altercation with his brother that Harry claimed left him with cuts and bruises.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of bruise
Adjective
  • Corporate-conference season gets rolling and earnings models need freshening after summer.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Fall Frolic included a carnival, a vaudeville show, fireworks, an eight-mile rolling chair parade, a costume competition, a governor’s ball, and the two-day Inter-City Beauty pageant, which began on this day in 1921.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of rolling
Verb
  • The bank said capacity constraints and rising competition are weighing on ASML, but that the stock remains a top pick.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Alexandria Eala, a rising global superstar, draws a new Filipino fanbase.
    — Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of rising

Browse Nearby Words

swellheadedness
swelling
swellings
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swelling. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All