Swelling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈswe-liŋ/ swell·ing

Meaning & Definition of Swelling

Swelling (noun)

  1. something that is swollen; specifically, an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement
  2. the condition of being swollen

Swelling (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a small rounded mass of swollen tissue

    "the swelling at the site of the insect bite was not too concerning"

    similar: bump, knot, lump, node, nodule
    related: growth, tumor, wart, hump, hunch, bruise, contusion, welt, blister, boil, blob, chunk, clod, clump, gob, gobbet, hunk, knob, nub, nubble, nugget, wad

Swelling (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in surging, billowing

    similar: billowing, surging, rolling, rippled, rippling, wavy, rutted, rutty, undulant, undulating, undulatory, inexact, unaligned, lopsided, unbalanced, pitted, pocked, knobbly, knobby, knurled, knurly, nubbly, nubby
    opposite: exact, uniform, aligned, regular, true, horizontal, tabular, plumb, straight, vertical, flush, even, flat, level, plane, smooth

Swelling (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

    "the club membership has really swelled in recent months"

    similar: accelerating, accumulating, appreciating, ballooning, booming, building up, burgeoning, climbing, enlarging, escalating, expanding, gaining, increasing, mounting, multiplying, mushrooming, proliferating, rising, rolling up, snowballing, spreading, waxing
    related: jumping, rocketing, skyrocketing, surging, heightening, intensifying, redoubling, blowing up, bulking, distending, inflating, puffing (up), crescendoing, cresting, peaking
    opposite: contracting, decreasing, diminishing, dwindling, lessening, receding, waning

  2. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels"

    similar: accelerating, adding (to), aggrandizing, amplifying, augmenting, boosting, building up, compounding, enlarging, escalating, expanding, extending, hyping, increasing, multiplying, pumping up, raising, stoking, supersizing, upping
    related: booming, jumping, skyrocketing, spiking, bumping (up), ratcheting (up), blowing up, dilating, distending, inflating, drawing out, elongating, fleshing (out), lengthening, prolonging, protracting, stretching, developing, enhancing, heightening, intensifying, magnifying, complementing, supplementing, beefing (up), reinforcing, strengthening, maximizing, accumulating, amassing, collecting, following up, parlaying
    opposite: abating, decreasing, de-escalating, diminishing, downsizing, dwindling, lessening, lowering, minifying, reducing, subtracting (from)
    near: abbreviating, abridging, curtailing, shortening, compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, cutting back, retrenching

  3. to extend outward beyond a usual point

    "at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool"

    similar: bagging, ballooning, beetling, bellying, billowing, bulging, bunching, jutting, overhanging, poking, pooching (chiefly dialect), pouching, pouting, projecting, protruding, standing out, starting, sticking out
    related: doming, blowing up, inflating, dilating, distending, expanding, mushrooming, snowballing, elongating, extending, lengthening, stretching
    near: compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, shrinking

Related Entry: Swell (verb)

Swell is a different word from Swelling. The synonyms below are for swell, not for swelling.

  1. to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

    "the club membership has really swelled in recent months"

    similar: accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon, climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, increase, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, wax
    related: jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge, heighten, intensify, redouble, blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up), crescendo, crest, peak
    opposite: contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane

  2. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels"

    similar: accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, up
    related: boom, jump, skyrocket, spike, bump (up), ratchet (up), blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch, develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, complement, supplement, beef (up), reinforce, strengthen, maximize, accumulate, amass, collect, follow up, parlay
    opposite: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)
    near: abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench

  3. to extend outward beyond a usual point

    "at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool"

    similar: bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bulge, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pooch (chiefly dialect), pouch, pout, project, protrude, stand out, start, stick out
    related: dome, blow up, inflate, dilate, distend, expand, mushroom, snowball, elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch
    near: compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

Related Entry: Swelling (up) (verb)

Swelling (up) is a different word from Swelling. The synonyms below are for swelling (up), not for swelling.

  1. as in increasing, raising

    similar: aggrandizing, amplifying, augmenting, beefing (up), boosting, compounding, enlarging, escalating, expanding, extending, increasing, multiplying, raising, infusing, injecting, inserting, interfusing, introducing, elongating, lengthening, prolonging, protracting, affixing, attaching, fastening, fixing, grafting, hitching, tagging, tying, enhancing, heightening, intensifying, magnifying, adding, adjoining, annexing, appending, subjoining, tacking (on), complementing, supplementing, supplying, enforcing, reinforcing, strengthening, maximizing
    opposite: abating, bating, deducting, knocking off, removing, subtracting, taking off, detaching, disconnecting, disjoining, separating, unfastening, amputating, cutting, excising, lopping (off), severing, contracting, decreasing, diminishing, lessening, lowering, reducing, abbreviating, abridging, curtailing, shortening, compressing, condensing, constricting, cutting back, retrenching

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Swelling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Swelling:

Chiefly dialect: pooching
bump, knot, lump, node, nodule, billowing, surging, rolling, rippled, rippling, wavy, rutted, rutty, undulant, undulating, undulatory, inexact, unaligned, lopsided, unbalanced, pitted, pocked, knobbly, knobby, knurled, knurly, nubbly, nubby, accelerating, accumulating, appreciating, ballooning, booming, building up, burgeoning, climbing, enlarging, escalating, expanding, gaining

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Swelling

Words with the opposite meaning of Swelling:

exact, uniform, aligned, regular, true, horizontal, tabular, plumb, straight, vertical, flush, even, flat, level, plane, smooth, contracting, decreasing, diminishing, dwindling, lessening, receding, waning, abating, de-escalating, downsizing, lowering, minifying, reducing, subtracting (from)

Related Words for Swelling

growth, tumor, wart, hump, hunch, bruise, contusion, welt, blister, boil, blob, chunk, clod, clump, gob, gobbet, hunk, knob, nub, nubble, nugget, wad, jumping, rocketing, skyrocketing, heightening, intensifying, redoubling, blowing up, bulking

Near Antonyms of Swelling

abbreviating, abridging, curtailing, shortening, compressing, condensing, constricting, cutting back, retrenching, shrinking

Origin & Etymology of Swelling

First known use: before 12th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Swelling

What does "Swelling" mean?

"Swelling" means something that is swollen; specifically, an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: something that is swollen; specifically, an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Swelling"?

Other words for "Swelling" include bump, knot, lump, node, nodule, billowing, surging and rolling. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Swelling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Swelling"?

There are 140 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Swelling". Common alternatives include bump, knot, lump, node, nodule, billowing, surging, rolling, rippled and rippling.

What is the opposite of "Swelling"?

Antonyms of "Swelling" include exact, uniform, aligned, regular, true, horizontal, tabular and plumb. Near antonyms include abbreviating, abridging, curtailing and shortening.

How do you use "Swelling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Swelling" in a sentence: "the swelling at the site of the insect bite was not too concerning"; "the club membership has really swelled in recent months"; "more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels".

Is "Swelling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Swelling" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Swelling"?

"Swelling" is pronounced /ˈswe-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as swell·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Swelling"?

First known use: before 12th century.