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Irregular verb

swell

/swel/

Base
swell
Past simple
swelled
Past participle
swollen / swelled

Usage

The past simple is always swelled; the participle swollen is more common for injuries, as in a swollen ankle.

Meaning

  • to become larger, often because of injury

Example

Her ankle had swollen after the fall.

The river swelled after days of rain.

The crowd swelled as the evening went on.