1
as in great
of the very best kind
what a swell time we had at the country club dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in happening
being in the latest or current fashion
in its heyday as a summer resort, the town was known for its swanky hotels and swell restaurants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the club membership has really swelled in recent months
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to expand
to make greater in size, amount, or number
more layoffs will swell the ranks of the unemployed to unprecedented levels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
at that point the Congo River swells and forms Malebo Pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in projection
a part that sticks out from the general mass of something
the graceful swell of the bottle was meant to be evocative of the female figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 swell
Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
Killer Dana’s demise came with the build-out of the Dana Point Harbor in 1966, a county project that put boat moorings where waves once rolled into shore, the rock jetty blocking the swell energy.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Afterward, Tharp joined Copeland on stage, a bouquet of flowers in hand — the first of many, many colleagues and collaborators emerging from the wings to congratulate Copeland, as golden confetti rained down and the pile of bouquets on the stage swelled.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
South Beach’s expanse is the perfect place to stroll and shell, and East Beach is ideal for surfers seeking bigger swells.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swell
Adjective
Gardner, Edgerton, De Soto and other parts of southwest Johnson County are seeing their populations swell in recent years as more housing and industrial development comes online.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
Killer Dana’s demise came with the build-out of the Dana Point Harbor in 1966, a county project that put boat moorings where waves once rolled into shore, the rock jetty blocking the swell energy.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
China’s medium-range missile arsenal has swelled from 600 a few years ago to 1,300 today, more than enough to decimate American bases in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Afterward, Tharp joined Copeland on stage, a bouquet of flowers in hand — the first of many, many colleagues and collaborators emerging from the wings to congratulate Copeland, as golden confetti rained down and the pile of bouquets on the stage swelled.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
For example, the NWS office in Medford, Oregon, warned of a high risk of sneaker waves, which are larger-than-normal swells that strike suddenly and without warning, surging much further up the beach than prior waves.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
South Beach’s expanse is the perfect place to stroll and shell, and East Beach is ideal for surfers seeking bigger swells.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swell
Adjective
-
The 20-year-old was one of many players in the Argentinian squad with solid top-flight experience for their clubs, racking up 13 starts in midfield for Boca Juniors, after being given his opportunity by the great Fernando Gago back in May 2024.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
For me, it’s been really essential to read a lot of great information, and to come at the world filled with knowledge and all these ideas of, in my view, much smarter and braver people than myself.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While the overarching trend for fall is still lowest maintenance possible, there's a bit more happening than your typical sunny blondes and balayage brunettes.—
Bella Cacciatore,
Glamour,
2 Sep. 2020
-
What was once a sleepy college town next to a railroad stop is now one of the most happening cities in the state of Texas.—
Craig Hlavaty,
Houston Chronicle,
5 Apr. 2018
Verb
-
The cuts come after Chegg in May laid off 22% of its workforce, citing increasing adoption of AI.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025
-
With increasing space traffic from various nations and private companies, keeping tabs on potential collisions and threats becomes crucial.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
When a snowstorm blows up suddenly and socks in the entire area, Lester and Mike begin a search that soon expands with the aid of local neighbors and law enforcement.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The Functional Fabric Fair has also expanded its speaker programming to provide forward-thinking insights and solutions to current challenges.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Spider-y lash extensions protruded from her lash line, reaching to the bottom of her brows; a thin wing of black liner was drawn from the outer corners of her eyes.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The protruding bracket behind the air guide appears to be a cable guide, and the box behind the cable guide is a three-drive cage.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
With projections of more than 100,000 new spacecraft being launched by 2030, compared to roughly 10,000 in orbit today, agencies have been developing ways to limit debris growth, improve decommissioning protocols, and enhance protective design features.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Some Republicans dismiss projections that ACA premiums will more than double without the subsidies, calling them exaggerated and arguing the law has fueled fraud and abuse that must be curbed.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Another wave of migration occurred around 2500 BCE.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Terahertz waves are hard to tame.—
Meghie Rodrigues,
IEEE Spectrum,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This is where the Greenpoint comes from, an excellent neo-classic riff on a Manhattan that was invented at Milk & Honey in New York, and comprises the classic build of Manhattan—rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters—into which has been spliced the inimitable French herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The Jayhawks did an excellent job of getting back in transition, limiting Louisville’s fast-break opportunities.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swell. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share