swell

American  

[swel] / swɛl /

verb (used without object)

• swells,
  present (3rd person singular)
• swelled,
  past participle,  past
• swollen,
  past participle
• swelling
  present participle

1. to grow in bulk, as by the absorption of moisture or the processes of growth.

   Synonyms:

   expand, distend

   Antonyms:

   contract

2. Pathology. to increase abnormally in size, as by inflation, distention, accumulation of fluids, or the like.

   Her ankles swelled from standing.

3. to rise in waves, as the sea.

4. to well up, as a spring or as tears.

5. to bulge out, as a sail or the middle of a cask.

   Synonyms:

   protrude

6. to grow in amount, degree, force, etc.

7. to increase gradually in volume or intensity, as sound.

   The music swelled.

8. to arise and grow within one, as a feeling or emotion.

9. to become puffed up with pride.

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verb (used with object)

• swells,
  present (3rd person singular)
• swelled,
  past participle,  past
• swollen,
  past participle
• swelling
  present participle

1. to cause to grow in bulk.

   Synonyms:

   expand, inflate

2. to cause to increase gradually in loudness.

   to swell a musical tone.

3. to cause (a thing) to bulge out or be protuberant.

4. to increase in amount, degree, force, etc.

   Antonyms:

   diminish, decrease

5. to affect with a strong, expansive emotion.

6. to puff up with pride.

noun

• swells
  plural

1. the act of swelling or the condition of being swollen.

2. inflation or distention.

   Synonyms:

   swelling

3. a protuberant part.

   Synonyms:

   bulge

4. a wave, especially when long and unbroken, or a series of such waves.

   Synonyms:

   billow

5. a gradually rising elevation of the land.

6. an increase in amount, degree, force, etc.

7. a gradual increase in loudness of sound.

8. Music.

   1. a gradual increase (crescendo) followed by a gradual decrease (diminuendo) in loudness or force of musical sound.

   2. the sign (< >) for indicating this.

   3. a device, as in an organ, by which the loudness of tones may be varied.

9. a swelling of emotion within one.

10. Slang.

    1. a fashionably dressed person; dandy.

    2. a socially prominent person.

adjective

Informal.

1. (of things) stylish; elegant.

   a swell hotel.

2. (of persons) fashionably dressed or socially prominent.

   Synonyms:

   grand

3. first-rate; fine.

   a swell party.

   Synonyms:

   grand

swell British  

/ swɛl /

verb

1. to grow or cause to grow in size, esp as a result of internal pressure Compare contract contract

2. to expand or cause to expand at a particular point or above the surrounding level; protrude

3. to grow or cause to grow in size, amount, intensity, or degree

   the party is swelling with new recruits

4. to puff or be puffed up with pride or another emotion

5. (intr) (of seas or lakes) to rise in waves

6. (intr) to well up or overflow

7. (tr) to make (a musical phrase) increase gradually in volume and then diminish

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noun

1. 1. the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea

   2. a succession of waves or a single large wave

2. a swelling or being swollen; expansion

3. an increase in quantity or degree; inflation

4. a bulge; protuberance

5. a gentle hill

6. informal a person very fashionably dressed

7. informal a man of high social or political standing

8. music a crescendo followed by an immediate diminuendo

9. Also called: swell organ. music

   1. a set of pipes on an organ housed in a box ( swell box ) fitted with a shutter operated by a pedal, which can be opened or closed to control the volume

   2. the manual on an organ controlling this Compare choir great

adjective

1. informal stylish or grand

2. slang excellent; first-class

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underswell
  noun
• reswell
  verb
• underswell
  verb (used without object)
• unswelled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• swells
  plural

Participles

• swelling
  present
• swelled
  past
• swollen
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• swell
  simple
• swells
  simple
• have swelled
  perfect
• have swollen
  perfect
• has swelled
  perfect
• has swollen
  perfect
• am swelling
  progressive
• are swelling
  progressive
• is swelling
  progressive
• have been swelling
  perfect progressive
• has been swelling
  perfect progressive

Past

• swelled
  simple
• had swelled
  perfect
• had swollen
  perfect
• was swelling
  progressive
• were swelling
  progressive
• had been swelling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will swell
  simple
• will have swelled
  perfect
• will have swollen
  perfect
• will be swelling
  progressive
• will have been swelling
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of swell

First recorded before 900; Middle English swellen (verb), Old English swellan; cognate with Dutch zwellen, German schwellen, Old Norse svella; akin to Gothic ufswalleins “pride”

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Explanation

To swell is to expand or grow larger. If your brother's face started to swell after he ate lobster for the first time, you'd probably guess that he's allergic to shellfish. You can use the word swell to describe what happens to an injured body part, like a black eye that swells up, or in a figurative way, to describe a feeling of fullness, like when your heart swells with pride at your sister's big music performance. In the 1930s, swell became a popular slang term meaning "great" or "excellent." But it also can describe a wealthy, elegant person, like a group of swells at a fancy restaurant.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

swell swells swelled swollen swelling

Qantas’s 1H fuel bill is set to swell to A$3.75 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026

Online casinos have generated a swell of press mentions by deploying experts on the royals to comment in news articles about Harry and Meghan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

"Last week we had a 30m heave coming through," he said, referring to the swell, "so we'll probably suffer more of that as the winter goes on."

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

Wednesday’s fan appreciation stuff was a swell gesture, as a start.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

I thought it was accidental and went on: "She's been there two years and knows everything there is to know about the town. She's a swell girl."

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

“The initial swell is on the downtrend right now, but we are expecting to get a couple more northwesterly swells this week because the Pacific is so active right now,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2026

Bill Conti -- who composed the "Gonna Fly Now" theme of "Rocky," a track instantly recognizable for its triumphant brass swells -- it's "a story about a story."

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

Regardless of its exact path, large ocean swells generated by the hurricane were expected to create hazardous conditions along portions of Mexico's southwestern and west-central coastlines in the following days.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

In a few seconds the CrossWave had squirted to its top speed of 55 mph and was skipping across the gentle swells in a blaring, brutalizing ecstasy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

He stood looking out at the dark swells.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

At the same time, the need has swelled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

The reservoir, which supplied drinking water to thousands and nourished vast acres of farmland, had swelled from the Rio Grande and begun to overflow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Under Prigozhin, Wagner has swelled its ranks with captured Central African rebels, men who switched allegiances and are widely known as “Black Russians.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

According to the NFL, its UK fanbase has swelled to 18.6 million, with 4.5 million of those considered 'avid' fans.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Laura’s throat swelled tight, and she could not speak.

From "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

By the middle of 1849 the number of prospectors had swollen to more than 50,000, lured from every continent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which cartilage gradually breaks down, leaving joints painful, swollen and increasingly difficult to move.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

The eye of the storm barreled over the peninsular fishing village of Las Barrancas, which was largely unreachable after a swollen river caused a highway bridge to collapse.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

Vela Gonzalez complained for weeks of stomach pain and his legs were only getting more swollen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

The words are spelled out in a swollen graffiti font.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

It advises putting something cool, like a clean, damp cloth, on the affected area to help with the itching and any swelling and to keep the affected area clean.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Though most people recover, it can cause pneumonia, blindness and swelling in the brain, and erase the immune system’s memory, leading to easily acquired secondary infections.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

Although this led to minor swelling, William did not seek medical attention and claimed that he waited to contact police because he was afraid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Rats treated with the compound experienced significantly less joint swelling, while the structure of their cartilage and synovium returned toward normal.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

In England the tulip buds were swelling, but in Plinkst the Russian winter was not yet done.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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