What does "bloat" mean?
Distention of the abdomen from death.
Bloat
/bləʊt/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Distention of the abdomen from death.
- Grammar: bloat is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: accrue, accumulate, add to, advance.
- Useful contrasts: compress, condense, contract.
- Usage evidence: if a Person of a firm Conſtitution begins to bloat, and from being warm grows cold, his Fibres grow weak, Anxiety and Palpitations of the Heart are a ſign of weak Fibres
How to use "bloat"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bloat" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bloat" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bloat" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bloat" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bloat" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accrue" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bloat", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Distention of the abdomen from death. countable, uncountable
- 2 swelling of the rumen or intestinal tract of domestic animals caused by excessive gas wordnet
- 3 Pathological overdistention of rumen with gas in a ruminant. countable, uncountable
- 4 Wasteful use of space or other resources. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"Adding an e-mail feature to this simple text editor would be pointless bloat."
- 5 A worthless, dissipated fellow. countable, dated, derogatory, slang, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A group of hippopotamuses. collective, countable, uncountable
"A group of hippos is called a bloat."
Verb
- 1 To cause to become distended.
- 2 become bloated or swollen or puff up wordnet
- 3 To get an overdistended rumen, talking of a ruminant. intransitive
- 4 make bloated or swollen wordnet
- 5 To fill soft substance with gas, water, etc.; to cause to swell.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 To become distended; to swell up. intransitive
"if a Person of a firm Conſtitution begins to bloat, and from being warm grows cold, his Fibres grow weak, Anxiety and Palpitations of the Heart are a ſign of weak Fibres"
- 7 To fill with vanity or conceit.
"1675, John Dryden, Prologue to Circe by Dr. Davenant Encourage him, and bloat him up with Praise"
- 8 To preserve by slightly salting and lightly smoking. dated
"bloated herring"
- 9 To increase to an excessive amount.
"In the UK, the fraction of electricity generated by nuclear plants has slid steadily downwards, from 25% in the 1990s to 16% in 2020. Of the five nuclear stations still producing power, only one will run beyond 2028. Hinkley Point C, the first new nuclear plant in a generation, is being built in Somerset, but its cost has bloated to more than £25bn."
Adjective
- 1 bloated. obsolete
"Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"if a Person of a firm Conſtitution begins to bloat, and from being warm grows cold, his Fibres grow weak, Anxiety and Palpitations of the Heart are a ſign of weak Fibres"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bloat"?
Common synonyms include: accrue, accumulate, add to, advance, aggrandize, amplify.
How do you use "bloat" in a sentence?
if a Person of a firm Conſtitution begins to bloat, and from being warm grows cold, his Fibres grow weak, Anxiety and Palpitations of the Heart are a ſign of weak Fibres
How do you pronounce "bloat"?
Pronounced /bləʊt/.
Etymology
Perhaps from Middle English blot, blout (“soft; flexible; pliable”), from Old Norse blautr (“soft”). Akin to Danish blød, Dutch bloot (“nude”) and German bloß (“nude”).