swallow
verb (used with object)
to take into the stomach by drawing through the throat and esophagus with a voluntary muscular action, as food, drink, or other substances.
had swallowed
-
past perfectof swallow.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
I had swallowed my pride and agreed to pay him nearly $1,000 to cart away furniture and other large items.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026
By the late 1920s, developers had swallowed up much of the Eastern Seaboard and were pursuing properties on the Pacific and Gulf coasts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2025
Amid the righteous grief that had swallowed up the United States, few words would have been less welcome or more relevant than these from a poem by W.H.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2023
Fighting budget cuts last year, Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone said the force has made annual savings of £200m since 2013 and had swallowed far more than its fair share of austerity.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2023
We yelled at them to have a good trip, and after they were out of earshot and the sea had swallowed their engine noises, we kept waving.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
