- the act of expansion or inflation
- the state of being or becoming swollen
- a swollen or inflated part or area
- an abnormal enlargement of a bodily structure or part, esp as the result of injury
Related adjective(s): tumescent
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
swell•ing /ˈswɛlɪŋ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- the act of a person or thing that swells.
- a swollen part:The swelling on his head still hasn't gone down.
swell /swɛl/USA pronunciation
v., swelled, swol•len /ˈswoʊlən/USA pronunciation or swelled, swell•ing, n., adj.
v.
n. [countable]
adj. Informal.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v.
- Pathologyto (cause to) enlarge in size or weight: [no object;
(~ + up)]Her foot swelled (up) where the bee had stung her.[~ + object (+ up)]Such a sting could swell the foot (up) to twice its size.[~ (+ up) + object]to swell (up) the foot. - [no object] to rise in waves, as the sea.
- to bulge out, as a sail: [no object;
(~ + out)]The sails swelled (out) in the wind.[~ (+ out) + object]The wind swelled (out) the sails. - to (cause to) increase in amount, degree, force, etc.: [no object]The ranks of the unemployed swelled to new heights last year.[~ + object]This economic policy will swell the ranks of the unemployed.
- to increase gradually in volume, as sound:[no object]The organ swelled up for the last bars of the hymn.
- to arise and grow within one, as a feeling or emotion:[no object]Pride swelled within her at the mention of her award.
- to become puffed up with pride:[no object]She swelled with pride.
n. [countable]
- Pathologythe act of swelling, or the condition of being swollen.
- Oceanographya wave, esp. when long and unbroken, or a series of such waves.
- an increase in amount, degree, force, etc.
- a gradual increase in loudness of sound.
- Slang Terms[Informal.]
- a fashionably dressed person;
dandy. - a socially important or well-known person.
- a fashionably dressed person;
adj. Informal.
- Informal Termsfirst-rate;
excellent;
of high quality;
fine:a swell prize.
swell•ing
(swel′ing),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the act of a person or thing that swells.
- the condition of being or becoming swollen.
- a swollen part;
a protuberance or prominence. - Pathologyan abnormal enlargement or protuberance, as that resulting from edema.
- bef. 900; Middle English, Old English; see swell, -ing1
swell
(swel),USA pronunciation v., swelled, swol•len or swelled, swell•ing, n., adj.
v.i.
v.t.
n.
adj. Informal.
v.i.
- to grow in bulk, as by the absorption of moisture or the processes of growth.
- Pathologyto increase abnormally in size, as by inflation, distention, accumulation of fluids, or the like:Her ankles swelled from standing.
- to rise in waves, as the sea.
- to well up, as a spring or as tears.
- to bulge out, as a sail or the middle of a cask.
- to grow in amount, degree, force, etc.
- to increase gradually in volume or intensity, as sound:The music swelled.
- to arise and grow within one, as a feeling or emotion.
- to become puffed up with pride.
v.t.
- to cause to grow in bulk.
- to cause to increase gradually in loudness:to swell a musical tone.
- to cause (a thing) to bulge out or be protuberant.
- to increase in amount, degree, force, etc.
- to affect with a strong, expansive emotion.
- to puff up with pride.
n.
- Pathologythe act of swelling or the condition of being swollen.
- Pathologyinflation or distention.
- a protuberant part.
- Oceanographya wave, esp. when long and unbroken, or a series of such waves.
- a gradually rising elevation of the land.
- an increase in amount, degree, force, etc.
- a gradual increase in loudness of sound.
- [Music.]
- Music and Dancea gradual increase (crescendo) followed by a gradual decrease (diminuendo) in loudness or force of musical sound.
- Music and Dancethe sign (
) for indicating this. - a device, as in an organ, by which the loudness of tones may be varied.
- a swelling of emotion within one.
- Slang Terms
- a fashionably dressed person;
dandy. - a socially prominent person.
- a fashionably dressed person;
adj. Informal.
- Informal Terms(of things) stylish;
elegant:a swell hotel. - Informal Terms(of persons) fashionably dressed or socially prominent.
- Informal Termsfirst-rate;
fine:a swell party.
- bef. 900; Middle English swellen (verb, verbal), Old English swellan; cognate with Dutch zwellen, German schwellen, Old Norse svella; akin to Gothic ufswalleins pride
- 1. distend, expand. 5. protrude. 10. inflate, expand. 17. swelling. 18. bulge. 19. billow. 27. 28. grand.
- 1. contract. 13. decrease, diminish.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
swelling /ˈswɛlɪŋ/ n
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
swell /swɛl/ vb (swells, swelling, swelled, swollen, swelled)
- to grow or cause to grow in size, esp as a result of internal pressure
Compare contract, contract - to expand or cause to expand at a particular point or above the surrounding level; protrude
- to grow or cause to grow in size, amount, intensity, or degree: the party is swelling with new recruits
- to puff or be puffed up with pride or another emotion
- (intransitive) (of seas or lakes) to rise in waves
- (intransitive) to well up or overflow
- (transitive) to make (a musical phrase) increase gradually in volume and then diminish
- the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
- a succession of waves or a single large wave
- a swelling or being swollen; expansion
- an increase in quantity or degree; inflation
- a bulge; protuberance
- a gentle hill
- informal a person who is very fashionably dressed
- informal a man of high social or political standing
- a crescendo followed by an immediate diminuendo
- Also called: swell organ
- informal stylish or grand
- slang excellent; first-class