distended
adjective
dis·tend·ed di-ˈsten-dəd 
: enlarged, expanded, or stretched out (as from internal pressure)
The abdomen was mildly distended with moderate tenderness …
Timothy Melester et al.
Timothy Melester et al.Pre-Columbian jewelry worn in a large hole made in a greatly distended earlobe. H. Newman
H. NewmanAnd she began to preen herself and to rearrange her feathers, while Daggie lay down again on his distended stomach and gazed out the doorway. Dick King-Smith
Dick King-Smith
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When Should You Use distended?
Before giving you a shot, the nurse may wrap a rubber tube around your upper arm to distend the veins. When the heart isn't pumping properly, the skin of the feet and ankles may become distended. A doctor who notices that an internal organ has become distended will always want to find out the cause. As you can see, distended tends to be a medical term.
Synonyms
- bloated
- blown
- overinflated
- puffed
- swollen
- tumescent
- tumid
- turgid
- varicose
- varicosed
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
First Known Use
1578, in the meaning defined above
distended 1 of 2
adjective
as in swollen
enlarged beyond normal from internal pressure bees with abdomens distended with honey are less apt to sting Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- swollen
- blown
- puffed
- turgid
- tumid
- expanded
- bloated
- tumescent
- overinflated
- bulging
- varicose
- dilated
- varicosed
- ballooned
- protuberant
- blown up
- ballooning
- dilating
- ventricose
- turgescent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- deflated
- collapsed
- detumescent
distended
2 of 2verb
as in swelled
to make or become larger especially because of pressure from inside The illness can cause the stomach to distend. Synonyms & Similar Words
- swelled
- expanded
- dilated
- increased
- enlarged
- inflated
- augmented
- elongated
- accelerated
- stretched
- amplified
- extended
- developed
- multiplied
- aggrandized
- compounded
- prolonged
- lengthened
- intensified
- hyped
- supersized
- protracted
- escalated
- built up
- spiked
- pumped up
- stoked
- skyrocketed
- blew up
- boomed
- jumped
- strengthened
- upped
- enhanced
- boosted
- drew out
- reinforced
- heightened
- magnified
- supplemented
- raised
- added (to)
- complemented
- accumulated
- bumped (up)
- maximized
- fleshed (out)
- reenforced
- racheted (up)
- ratcheted (up)
- collected
- amassed
- followed up
- parlayed
- beefed (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shortened
- compressed
- constricted
- curtailed
- abbreviated
- abridged
- contracted
- condensed
- reduced
- diminished
- decreased
- retrenched
- lessened
- lowered
- dwindled
- downsized
- abated
- subtracted (from)
- cut back
- minified
- de-escalated