as in swollen
enlarged beyond normal from internal pressure
bees with abdomens distended with honey are less apt to sting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in swelled
to make or become larger especially because of pressure from inside
The illness can cause the stomach to distend.
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distended
Emma Flint, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025
Once per act, a second duo crashes in on Didi and Gogo, providing the tramps’ power balance with a lurid, distended foil.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Following too much pasta or one too many sweet treats, my stomach gets quite sensitive—resulting in a feeling of tightness and a distended, rumbling tummy.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 20 May 2025
Bloating causes your belly to feel full and look distended.
—Kathleen Felton, Health, 9 June 2024
But for all its brawn and atmosphere and robustly choreographed combat, this is a distended historical tapestry too sprawling to remain compelling, particularly when its focus veers away from the central couple.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The distended episodes were littered with what feels like filler, little of which offered much in the way of narrative value.
—Verb
In the last 20 days, their belly will appear distended, and their nipples and breast tissue will be noticeably swollen.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for distended
Adjective
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This $15 option from Basic Concepts attaches to your tray table, creating a swinging hammock that provides relief for tired, swollen feet.—
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Or noticing that your hands feel inexplicably stiff and swollen, making simple tasks like opening a jar or even typing feel unusually difficult.—
Verb
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Waves along the Bay Area coast swelled higher than normal, and king tides continued to push coastal waters higher onto the shore than normal Thursday.—
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Sherrill will inherit a state budget that swelled under Murphy, who delivered on promises to fund the public worker pension fund and a K-12 school aid formula after years of neglect under previous governors, by high income taxes on the wealthy.—
Verb
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The Pacers expanded their lead to as large as 25 points in the second quarter before the Heat finally started to push back.—
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In 2025, the Navy expanded its training programs for future E-6B pilots, with courses now held in Oklahoma, where the majority of the aircraft are based and operated.—
Verb
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The Wolverines increased their lead to 42 with less than a minute left in the fourth.—
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And while famine has not yet emerged, food insecurity has increased, with most Cubans eating a limited diet and skipping meals.—
Verb
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This will go into a 264-mile (425-km) orbit and the single module will be inflated and the solar array deployed by ground control.—
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Having properly inflated tires with the right amount of tread can save you from hydroplaning, blowouts and even accidents.—
Verb
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So Great After baking with the heavy cream, the cinnamon rolls become extra enlarged, moist, and gooey.—
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Pininfarina has also enlarged the side air intakes, visually emphasizing the rear fenders.—
Cite this Entry
“Distended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distended. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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