Swallow Definition & Meaning

swallow
noun
  1. a small amount of liquid food; "a sup of ale"
  2. the act of swallowing; "one swallow of the liquid was enough"; "he took a drink of his beer and smacked his lips"
  3. small long-winged songbird noted for swift graceful flight and the regularity of its migrations
verb
  1. pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking; "Swallow the raw fish--it won't kill you!"
  2. engulf and destroy; "The Nazis swallowed the Baltic countries"
  3. enclose or envelop completely, as if by swallowing; "The huge waves swallowed the small boat and it sank shortly thereafter"
  4. utter indistinctly; "She swallowed the last words of her speech"
  5. take back what one has said; "He swallowed his words"
  6. keep from expressing; "I swallowed my anger and kept quiet"
  7. tolerate or accommodate oneself to; "I shall have to accept these unpleasant working conditions"; "I swallowed the insult"; "She has learned to live with her husband's little idiosyncrasies"
  8. believe or accept without questioning or challenge; "Am I supposed to swallow that story?"

Synonyms for swallow

accept verb

consider or hold as true; "I cannot accept the dogma of this church

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
bury verb

cover from sight; "Afghani women buried under their burkas" place in a grave or tomb

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
deglutition noun

the act of swallowing; "one swallow of the liquid was enough"; "he took a drink of his beer and smacked his lips"

♫ Rhymes
drink noun

a single serving of a beverage; "I asked for a hot drink

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
engross verb

devote (oneself) fully to; "He immersed himself into his studies" consume all of one's attention or time

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
immerse verb

thrust or throw into; "Immerse yourself in hot water" devote (oneself) fully to

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
sup noun

a small amount of liquid food; "a sup of ale" take solid or liquid food into the mouth a little at a time either by

♫ Rhymes
unsay verb

take back what one has said; "He swallowed his words"

♫ Rhymes
withdraw verb

pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms

"Swallow" in song lyrics

See how swallow is used in real songs:

  • "B: Well, do you swallow?"
    2 Live Crew — Bill So Horny
  • "Is hard to swallow"
    40 Glocc f/ Suga Free, Mr. Shadow — Leave Me Alone (Little Bitty Box)
  • "Yo man couldn't make you swallow"
    5th Ward Boyz f/ Willie D (of Geto Boys) — PWA

Words that rhyme with swallow

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Usage tips for "swallow"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "swallow" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for swallow to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with swallow ↔ Synonyms for swallow 🔬 Words containing swallow

Frequently asked questions

What does swallow mean?
a small amount of liquid food; "a sup of ale" the act of swallowing; "one swallow of the liquid was enough"; "he took a drink of his beer and smacked his lips" small long-winged songbird noted for swift graceful flight and the regularity of its migrations pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking; "Swallow the raw fish--it won't kill you!" engulf and destroy; "The Nazis swallowed the Baltic countries" enclose or envelop completely, as if by swallowing
What part of speech is swallow?
Swallow is a noun and a verb.
How many definitions does swallow have?
Swallow has 11 definitions across 2 parts of speech (noun, verb).

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