Illustration of swallow
- swallow 1
swallow
1 of 3noun (1)
swal·low ˈswä-(ˌ)lō 
1
: any of numerous small widely distributed oscine birds (family Hirundinidae, the swallow family) that have a short bill, long pointed wings, and often a deeply forked tail and that feed on insects caught on the wing
2
: any of several birds that superficially resemble swallows
swallow
2 of 3verb
swallowed; swallowing; swallows
transitive verb
1
: to take through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach
2
: to envelop or take in as if by swallowing : absorb
swallow the financial loss
watch night swallow the valley
3
: to accept without question, protest, or resentment
swallow an insult
a hard story to swallow
4
: take back, retract
had to swallow my words
5
: to keep from expressing or showing : repress
swallowed my anger
6
: to utter (words) indistinctly
intransitive verb
1
: to receive something into the body through the mouth and esophagus
2
: to perform the action characteristic of swallowing something especially under emotional stress
swallowable
ˈswä-lō-ə-bəl
adjective swallower
ˈswä-lə-wər
noun swallow
3 of 3noun (2)
1
: the passage connecting the mouth to the stomach
2
: a capacity for swallowing
3
a
: an act of swallowing
b
: an amount that can be swallowed at one time
Synonyms
Verb
- down
- get down
- ingest
Noun (2)
- belt
- draft
- drag
- drink
- gulp
- nip
- quaff
- shot
- sip
- slug
- snort
- sup
- swig
- swill
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He swallowed the grape whole. Chew your food well before you swallow. The boss said, “Come in.” I swallowed hard and walked in. Her story is pretty hard to swallow. I can usually take criticism, but this is more than I can swallow.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English swalowe, from Old English swealwe; akin to Old High German swalawa swallow
Verb
Middle English swalowen, from Old English swelgan; akin to Old High German swelgan to swallow
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing swallow
Kids Definition
swallow 1 of 3
noun
swal·low ˈswä-lō
: a small bird that has long wings and a forked tail and feeds on insects caught while in flight
swallow
2 of 3verb
swallowed; swallowing
1
: to take into the stomach through the mouth and throat
Chew your food well before you swallow.
2
: to perform the actions used in swallowing something
Clear your throat and swallow before answering.
3
: to completely surround : engulf
Now she was half swallowed by the darkness of the barn door.
Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder
Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder4
: to accept or believe without question
You swallow every story you hear.
5
: to keep from expressing or showing : repress
I swallowed my pride and asked for help.
swallow
3 of 3noun
1
: an act of taking something into the stomach through the mouth and throat : an act of swallowing
He ate the cupcake in one swallow.
2
: an amount that can be swallowed at one time
She took a swallow of water.
Medical Definition
swallow 1 of 2
transitive verb
swal·low ˈswäl-(ˌ)ō
: to take through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach
intransitive verb
: to receive something into the body through the mouth and esophagus
swallow
2 of 2noun
1
: an act of swallowing
2
: an amount that can be swallowed at one time
swallows 1 of 2
verb
1
as in sips
to take into the stomach through the mouth and throat try not to swallow the toothpaste Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sips
- chews
- drinks
- eats
- ingests
- consumes
- licks
- gulps
- devours
- downs
- guzzles
- gets down
- imbibes
- munches
- knocks back
- scoffs
- ruminates
- sups
- scarfs
- wolfs
- finishes
- gorges
- gobbles (up or down)
- ingurgitates
- puts away
- bolts
- laps
- dispatches
- mouths (down)
- nibbles (on)
- gnaws (at or on)
- pecks (at)
- polishes off
2
as in suppresses
to refrain from openly showing or uttering swallowed his pride and asked for help Synonyms & Similar Words
- suppresses
- stifles
- submerges
- smothers
- contains
- pockets
- represses
- holds back
- strangles
- sinks
- manages
- controls
- chokes (back)
- checks
- quells
- governs
- curbs
- squelches
- bridles
- quashes
- muffles
- bottles up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- expresses
- releases
- unleashes
- takes out
- looses
- vents
3
as in takes
to regard as right or true my little niece swallows everything I tell her Synonyms & Similar Words
- takes
- believes
- accepts
- buys
- understands
- trusts
- credits
- accounts
- sets store by
- assumes
- presumes
- deduces
- sets store on
- accredits
- supposes
- infers
- concludes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rejects
- disbelieves
- distrusts
- discredits
- suspects
- doubts
- mistrusts
- questions
- challenges
- disputes
- misdoubts
swallows
2 of 2noun
as in gulps
the portion of a serving of a beverage that is swallowed at one time drank the cool refreshing water in two swallows and held out her cup for more Synonyms & Similar Words
- gulps
- sips
- drinks
- snorts
- drops
- nips
- slugs
- quaffs
- swigs
- swills
- sups
- belts
- drafts
- drags
- shots
- drams
- inspeaking
- inspeaks
- inspect
- inspectable
- inspected
- inspecting
- inspectingly
- inspection
- inspection arms
- inspection car
- inspectional
- inspections
- inspective
- inspector
- inspector general
- inspectoral
- inspectorate
- inspectorates
- inspectorial
- inspectors
- inspectorship
- inspectorships
- inspectoscope
- inspectress
- inspectresses