swell
verb (used without object)
to grow in bulk, as by the absorption of moisture or the processes of growth.
have swollen
-
present perfectof swell.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
Head Start’s regulations have swollen to 120-plus pages, controlling everything from the square footage of outdoor play space to transportation routing and myriad paper credentials for staff.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Several people have died recently in fast-moving Northern California rivers that have swollen from melting snow after a record winter.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 8, 2023
Poverty wages have swollen the ranks of the American working poor, most of whom are 35 or older.
From New York Times ● Mar. 9, 2023
As a result, population figures have swollen by 15% in the Polish capital Warsaw over the past two weeks.
From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2022
Is it possible that the accounts connected with the installation of a few abstemious lovers of wisdom can have swollen to such a prodigous bulk?
From The Twilight of the Gods, and Other Tales by Richard Garnett
