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
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.
But the groaning synthesizer underneath her bashful smile tells you something is off — a crystalline tone now distended, unnerving.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
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
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
He still had the slightly distended belly and sagging skin which indicate malnutrition in children.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2024
Thereafter the Sun will slowly become red and distended, presiding over an Earth sweltering even at the poles.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
