Swollen
/ˈswoʊlən/
adjectiveB1past participle (used as adjective)
Definition
Swollen describes a part of the body or an object that has become larger and rounder than usual because of extra fluid or air inside. This often happens after getting hurt, feeling sick, or having an infection. It can also describe other things that get bigger or puffed up.
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See It in Action
Enlarged body part due to fluid or injury
- •His ankle was swollen after he fell during the game.
- •The mosquito bite made her arm swollen and red.
- •After the surgery, the area around the cut was swollen for a few days.
Increased or puffed up in size (non-living things)
- •The river was swollen from the heavy rain.
- •The balloon was swollen with air until it popped.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "swollen" like "big," but the increase in size is because something inside is filled up, not because it grew normally.
- ✓Picture a balloon filled with too much air, making it puff up and look bigger than before.
- ✓It's the feeling when your ankle hurts and looks bigger after you twist it.
- ✓Sounds like "Swell" + "en" → imagine a swelling bubble that grows larger and softer.
- ✓Remember when you accidentally hit your finger and it gets puffy and tender—that’s swelling.
- ✓NOT like "grow" (slow natural increase), swollen happens quickly and usually because of injury or sickness.
- ✓NOT like "fat" (extra body weight), swollen is temporary and caused by fluid or inflammation.
- ✓NOT like "bulge" (a hard or solid bump), swollen is usually soft and sometimes painful.
Try Other Words
- •Inflamed: red, hot, and swollen because of irritation or infection (Use when emphasizing pain and redness along with swelling)
- •Puffed up: filled with air or fluid to become larger (Use in casual or descriptive contexts, often for objects or parts of the body)
- •Enlarged: made bigger in size (Use in formal or medical contexts when size increase is not necessarily from fluid)
- •Bloated: swollen with gas or fluid inside, often causing discomfort (Use when swelling is related to stomach or digestion)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "swell" (to become larger) + "-en" (a suffix that makes adjectives from verbs)
- •Etymology: From Old English "swellan," meaning to grow or expand in size
- •Historical development: Originally used for natural growth or expansion; now often used for injury or fluid-related size increase
- •Modern usage: Commonly describes body parts after injury, infection, or illness; also used for natural swelling like rivers or balloons
- •Interesting fact: "Swollen" can describe both living things (body parts) and non-living things (rivers, balloons) that increase in size
Reflect & Connect
•Can swelling be helpful for the body, or is it always a sign of a problem? Why?
•How do you feel when you see someone with a swollen injury? Does it change how you act or help them?
Fill in the blanks
1.His ankle was swollen because he ___ it during the soccer match.
2.When a part of your body is swollen, it often feels ___ and may be painful.
3.Unlike normal growth, swollen means the size increase happened ___ and usually from injury or sickness.
4.The river was swollen after the rain, which means it had more ___ than usual.
5.People say "swollen up" to describe when something becomes ___ quickly.
6.After the bee sting, her arm was red and swollen, showing signs of ___.
7.Swollen body parts often need ___ to reduce the size and pain.