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
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
Cardiac activity can influence auditory and visual perception, and touch and sensory perceptions have been shown to be impaired during the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle when blood vessels are briefly distended.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2023
He was severely jaundiced with a distended belly.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2023
A spray of foam shot out and wet Ignatius on his distended Paradise product stomach.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
