swell
swehl
Swell (verb) means to grow bigger, especially by filling with fluid or gas. Example: “Her ankle began to swell after the fall.”
verb
1
To grow bigger, especially by filling with fluid or gas.
"Her ankle began to swell after the fall."
"The dough will swell as the yeast works."
"The river will swell after a night of heavy rain."
2
To grow gradually in force, loudness, or intensity.
"The music swelled as the orchestra reached the finale."
"A murmur of excitement swelled through the crowd."
"Anger began to swell inside her as the argument went on."
noun
1
A long, rolling ocean wave that continues after the wind that made it has died down.
"The boat rose and fell on the gentle swell."
"Surfers waited offshore for a big swell to roll in from the distant storm."
"Even on calm days, a long swell makes the ferry rock gently."
adj
1
Excellent; very good (informal, dated-sounding).
""That's a swell idea," he said with a grin."
"We had a swell time at the old fairground yesterday."
""What a swell hat you have on!" said the old gentleman."
How to use swell
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo get bigger, louder, or more intense — used for body parts, sounds, feelings, or the sea; also an old-fashioned word for "great."
Common pairings
swell up
a swell of pride
the swell of the sea
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Word forms
- Plural
- swells
- Third person singular
- swells
- Past tense
- swelled, swole, swoll, swollen
- Comparative
- sweller
- Superlative
- swellest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her ankle began to _____ after the fall.
Etymology
From Old English swellan, "to swell" — an ancient Germanic word with cousins in Dutch, German, and Swedish all meaning the same thing.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for swell
See all rhymes for swell →Frequently asked questions
What does “swell” mean?
The word “swell” means to grow bigger, especially by filling with fluid or gas. In plain terms, to get bigger, louder, or more intense — used for body parts, sounds, feelings, or the sea; also an old-fashioned word for "great.".
How do you pronounce “swell”?
“Swell” is pronounced swehl (/swɛl/ in IPA).
How do you use “swell” in a sentence?
Here is “swell” used in a sentence: “Her ankle began to swell after the fall.”
What part of speech is “swell”?
Depending on how it is used, “swell” can be a verb, a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “swell” come from?
The word “swell” comes from Old English. From Old English swellan, "to swell" — an ancient Germanic word with cousins in Dutch, German, and Swedish all meaning the same thing.
Is “swell” a common word?
“Swell” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “swell” have?
“Swell” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to grow bigger, especially by filling with fluid or gas.
What is the difference between swell and swelling?
Swell can be a verb meaning to grow bigger, especially by filling with fluid or gas, or a noun referring to a long, rolling ocean wave that continues after the wind that made it has died down. Swelling is typically the noun form describing an area of the body that has become puffy or enlarged, most often from injury or illness, functioning as the result of the swell verb applied to the body.
Why is swell sometimes used to mean excellent?
Swell has an informal, dated-sounding adjective sense meaning excellent or very good, a usage that was especially common in mid-twentieth-century English. This sense is unrelated to its meanings about growing bigger or ocean waves and is now used mostly in a nostalgic or old-fashioned tone.
How is swell used to describe sound or music?
Swell can describe something growing gradually in force, loudness, or intensity, such as music swelling to a climax or applause swelling through a room. This sense extends the core idea of gradual growth from the physical to the auditory.
