| verb | increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity “The music swelled to a crescendo” |
| verb | become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger “The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son” |
| verb | expand abnormally “The bellies of the starving children are swelling” |
| verb | come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things) “Strong emotions welled up” |
| verb | come up, as of a liquid “Tears well in her eyes” |
| verb | cause to become swollen “The water swells the wood” |
| adjective | characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance “a conceited fool” |
| swelling | noun | an abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement |
| intumescency | noun | swelling up with blood or other fluids (as with congestion) |
| intumescence | noun | swelling up with blood or other fluids (as with congestion) |
| tumefaction | noun | the process of tumefying; the organic process whereby tissue becomes swollen by the accumulation of fluid within it |
| tumescent | adjective | abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas |
| egotist | noun | a conceited and self-centered person |
| egotism | noun | an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others |
| vanity | noun | feelings of excessive pride |