swell

American  

[swel] / swɛl /

verb (used without object)

• swells,
  present (3rd person singular)
• swelled,
  past participle,  past
• swollen,
  past participle
• swelling
  present participle

1. to grow in bulk, as by the absorption of moisture or the processes of growth.

   Synonyms:

   expand, distend

   Antonyms:

   contract

2. Pathology. to increase abnormally in size, as by inflation, distention, accumulation of fluids, or the like.

   Her ankles swelled from standing.

3. to rise in waves, as the sea.

4. to well up, as a spring or as tears.

5. to bulge out, as a sail or the middle of a cask.

   Synonyms:

   protrude

6. to grow in amount, degree, force, etc.

7. to increase gradually in volume or intensity, as sound.

   The music swelled.

8. to arise and grow within one, as a feeling or emotion.

9. to become puffed up with pride.

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verb (used with object)

• swells,
  present (3rd person singular)
• swelled,
  past participle,  past
• swollen,
  past participle
• swelling
  present participle

1. to cause to grow in bulk.

   Synonyms:

   expand, inflate

2. to cause to increase gradually in loudness.

   to swell a musical tone.

3. to cause (a thing) to bulge out or be protuberant.

4. to increase in amount, degree, force, etc.

   Antonyms:

   diminish, decrease

5. to affect with a strong, expansive emotion.

6. to puff up with pride.

noun

• swells
  plural

1. the act of swelling or the condition of being swollen.

2. inflation or distention.

   Synonyms:

   swelling

3. a protuberant part.

   Synonyms:

   bulge

4. a wave, especially when long and unbroken, or a series of such waves.

   Synonyms:

   billow

5. a gradually rising elevation of the land.

6. an increase in amount, degree, force, etc.

7. a gradual increase in loudness of sound.

8. Music.

   1. a gradual increase (crescendo) followed by a gradual decrease (diminuendo) in loudness or force of musical sound.

   2. the sign (< >) for indicating this.

   3. a device, as in an organ, by which the loudness of tones may be varied.

9. a swelling of emotion within one.

10. Slang.

    1. a fashionably dressed person; dandy.

    2. a socially prominent person.

adjective

Informal.

1. (of things) stylish; elegant.

   a swell hotel.

2. (of persons) fashionably dressed or socially prominent.

   Synonyms:

   grand

3. first-rate; fine.

   a swell party.

   Synonyms:

   grand

swell British  

/ swɛl /

verb

1. to grow or cause to grow in size, esp as a result of internal pressure Compare contract contract

2. to expand or cause to expand at a particular point or above the surrounding level; protrude

3. to grow or cause to grow in size, amount, intensity, or degree

   the party is swelling with new recruits

4. to puff or be puffed up with pride or another emotion

5. (intr) (of seas or lakes) to rise in waves

6. (intr) to well up or overflow

7. (tr) to make (a musical phrase) increase gradually in volume and then diminish

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noun

1. 1. the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea

   2. a succession of waves or a single large wave

2. a swelling or being swollen; expansion

3. an increase in quantity or degree; inflation

4. a bulge; protuberance

5. a gentle hill

6. informal a person very fashionably dressed

7. informal a man of high social or political standing

8. music a crescendo followed by an immediate diminuendo

9. Also called: swell organ. music

   1. a set of pipes on an organ housed in a box ( swell box ) fitted with a shutter operated by a pedal, which can be opened or closed to control the volume

   2. the manual on an organ controlling this Compare choir great

adjective

1. informal stylish or grand

2. slang excellent; first-class

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underswell
  noun
• reswell
  verb
• underswell
  verb (used without object)
• unswelled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• swells
  plural

Participles

• swelling
  present
• swelled
  past
• swollen
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• swell
  simple
• swells
  simple
• have swelled
  perfect
• have swollen
  perfect
• has swelled
  perfect
• has swollen
  perfect
• am swelling
  progressive
• are swelling
  progressive
• is swelling
  progressive
• have been swelling
  perfect progressive
• has been swelling
  perfect progressive

Past

• swelled
  simple
• had swelled
  perfect
• had swollen
  perfect
• was swelling
  progressive
• were swelling
  progressive
• had been swelling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will swell
  simple
• will have swelled
  perfect
• will have swollen
  perfect
• will be swelling
  progressive
• will have been swelling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of swell

First recorded before 900; Middle English swellen (verb), Old English swellan; cognate with Dutch zwellen, German schwellen, Old Norse svella; akin to Gothic ufswalleins “pride”

Explanation

To swell is to expand or grow larger. If your brother's face started to swell after he ate lobster for the first time, you'd probably guess that he's allergic to shellfish. You can use the word swell to describe what happens to an injured body part, like a black eye that swells up, or in a figurative way, to describe a feeling of fullness, like when your heart swells with pride at your sister's big music performance. In the 1930s, swell became a popular slang term meaning "great" or "excellent." But it also can describe a wealthy, elegant person, like a group of swells at a fancy restaurant.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

swell swells swelled swollen swelling

Water from a massive swell — double the size that was initially predicted — blasted through 20-foot berms erected at the Wedge and washed out roads from about 21st Street to 6th Street, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

And “after almost an entire summer of southern swell after southern swell, there could be some issues for those vulnerable coastlines,” according to Lewis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

All of these attendees were following the example set by those at the top: looking out for themselves and trying to swell their own stash.

From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026

Uranium supply growth has lagged market expectations, and UBS expects market deficits to swell into the 2030s and beyond.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

All the while, my father continued to swell.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

The agency’s San Diego office said Rachel’s greatest impacts along the Orange and San Diego coasts would come Sunday morning, when swells, onshore winds and high tides combine.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

In a few seconds the CrossWave had squirted to its top speed of 55 mph and was skipping across the gentle swells in a blaring, brutalizing ecstasy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

Video footage and photos show several streets under water in Newport Beach, California, through a combination of the tropical storm swells at sea and high tide.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

Powerful swells driven by recent storms amid a growing El Niño are warming ocean waters, causing sand erosion and drawing animals rarely seen to California’s shore.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

And perhaps beyond those shrouded swells another man did walk with another child on the dead gray sands.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Hospital birth records swelled after rural insurance began covering deliveries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

A separate source in Alamata told the BBC there was a worsening humanitarian crisis in the area, as the town swelled with people fleeing fighting.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

But it’s the liquidity events that have swelled purchasing power.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Imports swelled 28.2 percent, which was faster than July's 27.5 percent but less than the 31.0 percent estimated in the Bloomberg survey.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

The engine cover is stuck where it swelled up.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick

By the middle of 1849 the number of prospectors had swollen to more than 50,000, lured from every continent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which cartilage gradually breaks down, leaving joints painful, swollen and increasingly difficult to move.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Vela Gonzalez complained for weeks of stomach pain and his legs were only getting more swollen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

A local official said it was swollen and could not be immediately identified.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

The scratch was shallow, but the area surrounding the abrasion was as red and swollen as a chain of kielbasa sausage.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

The idea is that the external pressure they apply supports circulation, enhances blood flow to the muscles, and reduces swelling.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

Most reported side effects involved temporary reactions around the injection site, including pain, swelling, and redness.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

As the outbreak grows, doctors say they are seeing more patients with rare outcomes of the disease—things like severe pneumonia and encephalitis, a form of brain swelling that can lead to disabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Pasadena Humane said it rushed the bird to its Wildlife Center, where vets found swelling but no broken bones.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

The swelling music, the soft hoodie, the linked arms bolstering me.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• accumulate
• add to
• balloon
• bloat
• bulge
• enlarge
• expand
• fatten
• grow
• increase
• mount
• rise
• surge