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well up

VERB
swell
Synonyms
STRONGEST
accumulate add to balloon bloat bulge enlarge expand fatten grow increase mount rise surge
STRONG
aggravate amplify augment belly billow blister dilate distend enhance extend heighten intensity plump pouch pout protrude puff tumefy uprise
WEAK
be inflated become bloated become distended become swollen fill out grow larger puff up round out
Antonyms
STRONGEST
abridge decline decrease diminish drop fall lessen lose lower reduce shrink slump
STRONG
compress condense contract curtail shorten
WEAK
concentrate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It made me well up, which embarrassed me until I glanced around the room and noticed a few others dabbing their eyes, too.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

Inflation is a problem as well, up 3% year-on-year in September.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Wellington,Jakarta and Taipei were also well up.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

Annual inflation jumped to 4.1% in the second quarter, well up from 3.1% in the first quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

Her eyes, filled with compassion, began to well up.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

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