swollen
gb/swˈoʊlən/ us/swˈoʊlən/
B1
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
enlarged from injury or inflammation
Bigger than normal because it is hurt or ill.
Schéma d’usage :
[body part] is swollen; swollen [body part]
Erreur fréquente :
Use it as an adjective: "My ankle is swollen" / "a swollen ankle" (not "I am swollen my ankle").
Synonymes
inflamed (More medical; emphasizes irritation/infection.)
|
puffy (More informal; often suggests mild swelling.)
|
enlarged (More general and neutral; often used in medical contexts.)
Antonymes
normal (Not enlarged or affected.)
|
uninflamed (Specifically not inflamed or irritated.)
Collocations
swollen ankle
|swollen knee
|swollen finger
|swollen face
|swollen eyes
|swollen lips
|swollen feet
|swollen joint
|swollen glands
|badly swollen
Thèmes
health
|body
Exemples
- Her ankle was swollen after she twisted it on the stairs.
- He woke up with swollen eyes from the allergy.
- The nurse checked his swollen glands and took his temperature.
Exemples pédagogiques
- My finger is swollen.
- She has a swollen knee.
adjective
B2
property
2
made larger by being filled
Bigger than normal because it is full of something.
Schéma d’usage :
swollen with [something]; swollen [thing]
Erreur fréquente :
Don’t confuse this with the past tense: "The river has swollen" (verb) vs "a swollen river" (adjective).
Synonymes
bloated (Often suggests an uncomfortable or unpleasant fullness.)
|
distended (More technical; often used for the stomach or abdomen.)
|
expanded (Neutral; focuses on increased size rather than discomfort.)
Antonymes
shrunken (Smaller than normal, often from drying or shrinking.)
|
reduced (Decreased in size, amount, or level.)
Collocations
swollen river
|swollen stream
|a swollen belly
|a swollen stomach
|swollen veins
|swollen wallet
|swollen with rainwater
|swollen with gas
|swollen by recent rains
|swollen from heat
Thèmes
nature
|daily_life
Exemples
- After days of heavy rain, the river was swollen and fast-moving.
- His stomach felt swollen after the large meal.
- Her wallet was swollen with receipts and old tickets.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The river is swollen after rain.
- My stomach feels swollen.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
inflated or overblown in style
Too big or important in a way that sounds exaggerated.
Schéma d’usage :
swollen [language/claims/ego]
Erreur fréquente :
This meaning is about style or attitude, not physical size.
Synonymes
inflated (Common; suggests artificially increased importance.)
|
bombastic (Strongly negative; loud and showy language.)
|
grandiose (Emphasizes unrealistic greatness or ambition.)
Antonymes
plain (Simple and direct in style.)
|
restrained (Controlled and not exaggerated.)
Collocations
swollen rhetoric
|swollen language
|swollen prose
|swollen claims
|swollen sense of self-importance
|swollen ego
|swollen reputation
|swollen praise
Thèmes
communication
|writing
Exemples
- The article mocked the politician’s swollen rhetoric.
- His introduction was full of swollen praise that felt insincere.
- The editor cut the swollen prose and made the argument clearer.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The speech used swollen language.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
swollen
API
GB/swˈoʊlən/
US/swˈoʊlən/
Syllabes et accentuation
swollen (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (swollen)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: swollen
Expressions
get a swollen head
1/ɡˈɛt ə swˈoʊlən hˈɛd/
idiom
informal
become too proud
To start thinking you are too important.
Exemples
- Don’t let the promotion give you a swollen head.
- He got a swollen head after his video went viral.
swollen glands
1/swˈoʊlən ɡlˈændz/
fixed phrase
enlarged lymph glands
Lumps in your neck or throat that get bigger when you are ill.
Exemples
- I stayed home because I had a sore throat and swollen glands.
- The doctor said swollen glands can be a sign of infection.
swollen with anger
1/swˈoʊlən wˈɪθ ˈæŋɡɚ/
fixed phrase
extremely angry
Feeling very angry.
Exemples
- He was swollen with anger after hearing the accusation.
- She left the room, swollen with anger and unable to speak.
swollen with pride
1/swˈoʊlən wˈɪθ pɹˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
very proud and pleased
Feeling very proud.
Exemples
- She was swollen with pride when her son graduated.
- He stood there, swollen with pride at the praise.