noun

welling

WEH-lihng

Welling (noun) means the act of rising up and flowing out, the way liquid or emotion can build and spill over. Example: “The welling of tears in her eyes told him the news had hit harder than she let on.”

noun

The act of rising up and flowing out, the way liquid or emotion can build and spill over.

"The welling of tears in her eyes told him the news had hit harder than she let on."

"A slow welling of pride rose in his chest as he watched his daughter graduate."

How to use welling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething rising up and starting to overflow, most often used for tears or strong feelings.

Common mistake

Almost always used with "up" (welling up) when talking about emotion or tears.

Common pairings

welling up a welling of emotion tears welling in her eyes

Word forms

wellings plural, Wellings plural

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The _____ of tears in her eyes told him the news had hit harder than she let on.

Rhymes for welling

telling selling yelling felling spelling dwelling swelling smelling shelling gruelling modelling expelling

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Frequently asked questions

What does “welling” mean?

The word “welling” means the act of rising up and flowing out, the way liquid or emotion can build and spill over. In plain terms, something rising up and starting to overflow, most often used for tears or strong feelings.

How do you pronounce “welling”?

“Welling” is pronounced WEH-lihng (/ˈwɛlɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “welling” in a sentence?

Here is “welling” used in a sentence: “The welling of tears in her eyes told him the news had hit harder than she let on.”

What part of speech is “welling”?

“Welling” is a noun.