How to pronounce swollen
Say it like SWOH-lun. Swollen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SWOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce swollen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SWOH
- lun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Swollen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SWOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- lunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of swollen
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: SWOH-lun.
What does swollen mean?
- characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance“a conceited fool”“an attitude of self-conceited arrogance”
Where does swollen come from?
From Middle English swollen, i-swolle, y-swolle, yswolle, ȝeswollen, from Old English swollen, ġeswollen, from Proto-Germanic *swullanaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *swellaną (“to swell”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with swollen
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of swollen.
Questions about saying swollen
How do you pronounce swollen?
Say SWOH-lun. The American pronunciation is /ˈswoʊlən/. In British English it is /ˈswəʊlən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in swollen?
Swollen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SWOH). Broken into parts: SWOH · lun.
Is swollen pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈswəʊlən/ (SWOH-lun).