distended
Americanadjective
-
increased, as in size, volume, etc.; expanded; dilated.
the distended nostrils of the terrified horse.
-
swollen, by or as by internal pressure, out of normal size or shape; protuberant.
distended wineskins; the distended arteries of his neck.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of distended
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To actually feel intoxicated, a chimp would need to eat so much fruit that its stomach would become painfully distended.
From Science Daily • Dec. 1, 2025
Mrs Cook's symptoms worsened over the following months: her appetite "diminished", she needed to urinate more and by September 2021 her stomach had distended to the point that she looked pregnant.
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2025
Onyeaka wondered if that abundance could be harnessed to feed people in conflict zones where children were suffering from malnutrition, their distended stomachs a clear sign of protein deficiency.
From Salon • Jan. 29, 2025
The first two were great fun, and apparently being subsumed into the distended viscera of the MCU won’t stop “Deadpool and Wolverine” or whatever from being R-rated fun.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2024
He stood on the distended belly of the mule for a platform and made gestures.
From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
