distending

verb

present participle of distend
as in swelling
to make or become larger especially because of pressure from inside The illness can cause the stomach to distend.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distending
  1. swelling
  2. expanding
  3. increasing
Verb
  • Other possible signs include swelling of part or all of the breast, breast or nipple pain and nipple discharge other than breast milk.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Since the late nineteenth century, raw white-lead was known to pose a substantial health risk to those exposed to it, prompting symptoms such as swelling of the brain, epileptic convulsions, paralysis, severe colic, and death.
    — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of swelling
Verb
  • Note the yellow band—interest on the national debt—which is expanding fast.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The agreement comes as electricity demand rises across the United States, driven partly by expanding data centers, manufacturing and electrification.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of expanding
Verb
  • This increasing self-reliance has an extra benefit in the midst of a grueling war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Despite this, national reports indicate continued use of performance- and appearance-enhancing drugs, and increasing interest in them.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of increasing
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Distending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distending. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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