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Synonyms

swelling

American  
[swel-ing] / ˈswɛl ɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that swells.

  2. the condition of being or becoming swollen. swollen.

  3. a swollen swollen part; a protuberance or prominence.

  4. Pathology. an abnormal enlargement or protuberance, as that resulting from edema.

swelling British  
/ ˈswɛlɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of expansion or inflation

  2. the state of being or becoming swollen

  3. a swollen or inflated part or area

  4. an abnormal enlargement of a bodily structure or part, esp as the result of injury

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unswelling adjective

Etymology

Origin of swelling

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; swell + -ing 1

Vocabulary lists containing swelling

"Because I Could Not Stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson

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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.

During that time, there has been a direct line from the world's biggest traffic jam to rising petrol and diesel prices, higher airfares and swelling mortgage rates around the globe.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Upper-income groups are swelling because wages have grown faster than prices over time, especially for white-collar workers with college educations, said Winship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

In detention, Flores said, she began to suffer a painful swelling, which she believed could have been mastitis brought on by her inability to nurse her baby.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Remove wristwatches and rings on fingers in case of swelling, the UC Davis Health Center advises.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

He had never seen swelling like this before.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

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.