swallow

¹ American  

[swol-oh] / ˈswɒl oʊ /

verb (used with object)

1. to take into the stomach by drawing through the throat and esophagus with a voluntary muscular action, as food, drink, or other substances.

   Synonyms:

   quaff, imbibe, drink, down, devour, gulp, ingest, eat

   Antonyms:

   void, egest

2. to take in so as to envelop; withdraw from sight; assimilate or absorb.

   He was swallowed by the crowd.

   Synonyms:

   surround, envelop, engulf

3. to accept without question or suspicion; believe; trust.

   Antonyms:

   discredit, disbelieve

4. to accept without opposition; put up with.

   to swallow an insult.

5. to accept for lack of an alternative.

   Consumers will have to swallow new price hikes.

6. to suppress (emotion, a laugh, a sob, etc.) as if by drawing it down one's throat.

   Synonyms:

   suppress, submerge, strangle, stifle, smother, repress, pocket, hold in, choke (back)

   Antonyms:

   vent, express

7. to take back; retract.

   to swallow one's words.

8. to enunciate poorly; mutter.

   He swallowed his words.

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verb (used without object)

1. to perform the act of swallowing.

noun

1. the act or an instance of swallowing.

   Synonyms:

   sip, draft, gulp, taste, nibble, morsel, bite

2. a quantity swallowed at one time; a mouthful.

   Take one swallow of brandy.

3. capacity for swallowing.

4. Also called crown, throat.  Nautical, Machinery. the space in a block, between the groove of the sheave and the shell, through which the rope runs.

swallow ² American  

[swol-oh] / ˈswɒl oʊ /

noun

1. any of numerous small, long-winged passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, noted for their swift, graceful flight and for the extent and regularity of their migrations.

2. any of several unrelated, swallowlike birds, as the chimney swift.

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swallow ¹ British  

/ ˈswɒləʊ /

verb

1. to pass (food, drink, etc) through the mouth to the stomach by means of the muscular action of the oesophagus

2. (often foll by up) to engulf or destroy as if by ingestion

   Nazi Germany swallowed up several small countries

3. informal to believe gullibly

   he will never swallow such an excuse

4. to refrain from uttering or manifesting

   to swallow one's disappointment

5. to endure without retaliation

6. to enunciate (words, etc) indistinctly; mutter

7. (often foll by down) to eat or drink reluctantly

8. (intr) to perform or simulate the act of swallowing, as in gulping

9. to retract a statement, argument, etc, often in humiliating circumstances

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noun

1. the act of swallowing

2. the amount swallowed at any single time; mouthful

3. Also called: crown.   throat.  nautical the opening between the shell and the groove of the sheave of a block, through which the rope is passed

4. rare another word for throat gullet

5. rare a capacity for swallowing; appetite

swallow ² British  

/ ˈswɒləʊ /

noun

1. any passerine songbird of the family Hirundinidae, esp Hirundo rustica ( common or barn swallow ), having long pointed wings, a forked tail, short legs, and a rapid flight

2. See fairy swallow

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swallow Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing swallow

• bitter pill to swallow

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Other Word Forms

• swallow-like
  adjective
• swallowable
  adjective
• swallower
  noun
• unswallowable
  adjective
• unswallowed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of swallow¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb swolwen, swalwen, Old English swelgan; cognate with German schwelgen; akin to Old Norse svelgja; Middle English noun swolwe, swoluh, Old English geswelgh “throat, abyss, whirlpool”; akin to Middle Low German swelch, Old High German swelgo “glutton,” Old Norse svelgr “swirl, whirlpool; devourer”

Origin of swallow²

First recorded before 900; Middle English swal(e)we, Old English sweal(e)we; cognate with German Schwalbe, Old Norse svala

Explanation

When you swallow food or liquid is pushed from your mouth to the esophagus. Chew your food well before you swallow it. As a verb, swallow means "to enclose or envelop completely," like quicksand that swallows everything that falls into it. Swallow can also mean "to stop from expressing," like when you swallow your pride and ask for help. The noun swallow describes a gulp, though you don't always do it for digestion; sometimes a few swallows of air help you keep from crying. A swallow is also a type of small songbird.

Example Sentences

The progressive disease destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that a person needs to walk, talk, swallow and breathe, according to the ALS Assn.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Oftentimes, companies swallow some of the increase in their own costs, whether it’s rising energy prices or something else.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

But JetBlue’s debt load would be tough for any of the big carriers to swallow.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

It noted that the producers most able to swallow California’s mandate costs are giant concerns, like “Chinese-owned Smithfield.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

When they swallow food, it is sent to the gizzard, where the grinding stones pulverize the food.

From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones

Related Words

• absorb
• devour
• drink
• eat
• gobble
• gulp
• ingest
• inhale
• wash down