distend
Puff up unnaturally
To distend is to swell or expand from internal pressure.
A stomach distends after a large meal.
A bladder distends when full.
The word suggests stretching beyond normal size, often uncomfortably: Her abdomen was visibly distended.
Unlike bloat, distend is neutral and clinical, common in medical contexts.
Increase in size
stretch · spread · elasticity · flexibility · tautness · membrane · rubber · elastic
Gaseous envelope surrounding Earth
gas · bladder · lung · bellows · pneumatic · aerate · fill · expansion
Pathological tissue puffiness
- ascitesAbdominal cavity fluid accumulation
- herniaOrgan breaching muscle wall
- aneurysmArterial wall bulge
- dropsyAbnormal fluid accumulation
tympany · lymphedema · hydrocephalus · gastric · intestinal · bladder · uterine · venous
Given excess nourishment
- stuffedFilled beyond capacity
- engorgedSwollen from excess filling
- gorgedAte to excess
- fullnessState of being complete
satiation · overindulgence · gluttony · surfeit · repletion · overfull · bloatedness · indigestion
bulge
Outward curved projection
balloon · billow · protrude · belly · bag · turgid · swollen · puffed · bloated · convex
expand
Increase in size
elongate · stretch · spread · elasticity · flexibility · tautness · membrane · rubber · elastic · inflate
air
Gaseous envelope surrounding Earth
breath · gas · bladder · lung · bellows · pneumatic · aerate · fill · expansion · pressurize
edema
Pathological tissue puffiness
- ascitesAbdominal cavity fluid accumulation
- herniaOrgan breaching muscle wall
- aneurysmArterial wall bulge
dropsy · tympany · lymphedema · hydrocephalus · gastric · intestinal · bladder · uterine · venous · abdominal
overfed
Given excess nourishment
fullness · satiation · overindulgence · gluttony · surfeit · repletion · overfull · bloatedness · indigestion · satiety