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
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as in surging
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in increasing
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the club membership has really swelled in recent months
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2
as in accelerating
to make greater in size, amount, or number more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels
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3
as in protruding
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 swelling
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 By March 2023, Mollie was experiencing chronic ankle pain and swelling, despite an X-ray showing no signs of broken bones or fractures. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Gregg Nunziata, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026 After discovering the bone bruise, the Rockets understood why Durant had further swelling and stiffness in the ankle compared to a regular sprain, per ESPN. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swelling
Noun
Durant was slow to get off the court, and swelling occurred in the following days, forcing him to miss Game 3. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 By March 2023, Mollie was experiencing chronic ankle pain and swelling, despite an X-ray showing no signs of broken bones or fractures. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Another effective anti-swelling remedy is a delicious snack that may be hiding in the fridge. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
For much of American history, conservatives were the nation’s fiercest skeptics of executive power, warning that a swelling presidency could threaten liberty by displacing the authority of Congress and the courts. —Gregg Nunziata, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026 After discovering the bone bruise, the Rockets understood why Durant had further swelling and stiffness in the ankle compared to a regular sprain, per ESPN. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swelling
Noun
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Remember, some lumps are preferred for the loftiest results.— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
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Thereafter, a dedicated team began removing the soil from what appeared to be an unremarkable lump.— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These organizations, striving to fill the information gap created by the state government’s increasing drift toward secrecy — can’t rely on taxpayers to pay their bills.— Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
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These changes were to be achieved by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreasing the consumption of meat and eggs, and substituting nonfat milk for whole milk.— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The growing fleet is accelerating development by generating large-scale data for Helix, the company’s humanoid AI model, while enabling real-world deployment across research, commercial, and domestic use cases, according to a blog by Figure.— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
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Polls show Americans are angry — and rightly so — at accelerating medical bills.— Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The center point is perhaps what looks like a gigantic mountain with two 'spikes' protruding from its peak, like the antennae on an insect.— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
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Her right hand gripped the scissors with the round finger holes embedded in her palm and the pointed end protruding from her fist.— Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The injury woes last year included a groin strain followed by an ankle bone bruise.— Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
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Neither the suspect’s nor the victim’s names have been released, though police shared images of what appeared to be bruises on the victim’s face.— Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Adjective
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Instead, scandals have provided rolling revelations of a general unseriousness.— Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
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On Thursday, Putin broke his silence on the rolling digital blackouts, which hit the country’s capital in early March.— Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s why David Gallo’s setting, a vista of a fragile boarding house nearly consumed by the rising, sun-blotting, industrial landscape of Pittsburgh, works so effectively here.— Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
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After a faulty cooling system was left to disrepair, rising temperatures resulted in an explosion with the equivalent force of 70-100 tons of TNT.— Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Southern Anoka County Assistance food shelf (SACA) is expanding to meet a growing need in Columbia Heights.— Ashley Grams, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
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The store initially sold ice cream before expanding to chocolates in 1965.— Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/swelling. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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