Definition of swellingnext
as in lump
a small rounded mass of swollen tissue the swelling at the site of the insect bite was not too concerning

Synonyms & Similar Words

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swelling

2 of 3

adjective

swelling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of swell
1
2
3

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of swelling
Noun
Before-and-after satellite images show a glacier shrinking and a river swelling. Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026 As many as 1 in every 20 children will get pneumonia, and 1 in every 1,000 children will get encephalitis, a swelling of the brain. Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The hope was this would mean less swelling, less pain and, potentially, a significantly faster recovery. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 13 May 2026 Another effective anti-swelling remedy is a delicious snack that may be hiding in the fridge. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Pain, swelling around a joint, and stiffness in the muscles or ligaments around the joint are just some reasons movement may become restricted. Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, HEALTH, 17 Aug. 2026 Additionally, more than 100 reports of serious adverse events, mostly cases of patients being hospitalized for swelling, respiratory, and heart complications, have been reported to the FDA. Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swelling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swelling
Noun
  • Then there’s the fact that many potential investors aren’t quite sure what to make of a company from a mostly empty lump of volcanic rock in the middle of the North Atlantic.
    Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The process produces pebble-sized lumps called clinker, which are then ground into cement powder.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The move highlights how surging demand for AI computing capacity is drawing institutional investors, as governments, companies and startups race to build out data centers to support AI workloads.
    Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The team stopped at 800 N because increasing the load further would require additional protective equipment, with a separate destructive limit test planned.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Rattlesnake sightings are increasing across Texas, with warnings issued at schools and athletic fields.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Insulet’s international growth has been accelerating, with revenue rising between 30% and 32%, and full-year earnings per share growth anticipated to jump more than 30% from a year earlier.
    Harvey Stober, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Artificial intelligence is accelerating the trend by helping organizations analyze data faster and act on it more effectively.
    Dirk Naylor, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Tropical Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, is native to tropical climates in Asia and produces dramatic, vibrant flowers that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter with protruding stamens.
    Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Akhenaten, who may have been the boy-king’s father, was depicted in artwork as having wide hips and a protruding belly, which stood out from portraits of other Egyptian royalty.
    Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Worth noting Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to a right elbow bruise.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • One of the book’s more memorable revelations details a physical altercation with his brother that Harry claimed left him with cuts and bruises.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Corporate-conference season gets rolling and earnings models need freshening after summer.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Fall Frolic included a carnival, a vaudeville show, fireworks, an eight-mile rolling chair parade, a costume competition, a governor’s ball, and the two-day Inter-City Beauty pageant, which began on this day in 1921.
    Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The bank said capacity constraints and rising competition are weighing on ASML, but that the stock remains a top pick.
    Michael Bloom, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Alexandria Eala, a rising global superstar, draws a new Filipino fanbase.
    Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Swelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swelling. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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