swell
B2Verb/Noun: neutral; Adjective: informal, somewhat dated.
Definition
Meaning
To become larger or rounder, often due to pressure from inside.
To increase in amount, intensity, size, or volume; can also describe something as excellent or stylish (informal/dated adjective), or a slow, powerful wave in the sea.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb often describes a gradual, often temporary, increase. As an adjective, its use to mean 'excellent' is now considered old-fashioned (mid-20th century).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The adjective meaning 'excellent' is more strongly associated with older American English (e.g., 1950s slang). The verb/noun usage is identical.
Connotations
In both, the verb can have a negative connotation (injury, pride) or a neutral/positive one (music, sail). The dated adjective is nostalgic.
Frequency
The verb and noun are equally common. The dated adjective is rare in modern use in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] (intransitive): His knee began to swell.[V + with + N] (transitive, figurative): She swelled with pride.[VN] (transitive, rare/causative): The river rain swelled the creek.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “swell up”
- “swell with pride”
- “a swell of support”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Can describe a temporary increase in numbers (e.g., 'The ranks swelled with new recruits').
Academic
Used in geography/oceanography for a long-period wave; in medicine for inflammation.
Everyday
Most common for describing injuries, emotions, or sound increasing.
Technical
In meteorology/oceanography, refers to long, unbroken waves; in medicine, to edema or inflammation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- My ankle started to swell after the twist.
- The crowd's cheers began to swell as the team appeared.
American English
- Her face swelled up from the allergy.
- Donations swelled the charity's funds quickly.
adverb
British English
- Rarely used. Possibly in archaic contexts: 'Things are going swell.'
American English
- Informal/dated: 'Everything turned out swell.'
adjective
British English
- That's a swell idea, old chap! (dated)
- He threw a swell party at his country house. (dated)
American English
- You did a swell job on that project! (dated)
- It was a swell time at the fair. (dated)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- If you hit your finger, it might swell.
- The music became loud and then soft.
- Her ankle swelled up after she fell.
- A swell of pride filled him when he saw his daughter graduate.
- The river swelled with the heavy rain.
- Public support for the policy began to swell after the announcement.
- The orchestra's music swelled to a dramatic finale.
- Surfers waited for a good swell to come in.
- The activist's speech caused a ground swell of opposition to the development.
- Bureaucracy swelled the project's costs beyond the initial estimate.
- He felt a sudden swell of nostalgia for his university days.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a WELL filling with water and SWELLing up and over the sides.
Conceptual Metaphor
INCREASE IS UP / EMOTION IS A FLUID IN A CONTAINER (e.g., 'swell with anger').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate the adjective 'swell' (meaning great) as 'отличный' in modern contexts—it sounds archaic.
- The noun 'swell' (wave) is not 'вздутие' but 'длинная волна' or 'зыбь'.
- The verb often corresponds to 'опухать' (from injury) or 'нарастать' (sound, feeling).
Common Mistakes
- Using the adjective 'swell' in formal writing. *'He gave a swell presentation.' (Incorrect register)
- Confusing 'swell' (v.) with 'sweLL' (n., wave). 'The boat rocked on the swell.' (Correct).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'swell' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The verb and noun are neutral and can be used in formal and informal contexts. The adjective meaning 'excellent' is informal and dated.
'Swell' is usually an internal process (e.g., from fluid or emotion), while 'inflate' typically means to fill with air or gas from the outside.
Yes, it's common to describe sound increasing in volume or intensity, e.g., 'The music swelled.'
It was peak slang in the early-mid 20th century (especially in the US) and has since fallen out of fashion, sounding old-fashioned or ironic.