Word
bloat
US/ˈbɫoʊt/
UK/blˈəʊt/
Definition
v. to swell up with air, water, or gas. You use this when your stomach feels full and tight after eating, or when something grows too big and slow.
v. to cause to swell or distend with fluid, gas, or excess material; to expand beyond functional necessity.
Examples
“Too much salt can bloat your stomach.”
“After the holiday dinner, rich food can bloat his stomach for hours.”
“Years of extra features bloat the once-fast program until it loads slowly on older phones.”
Examples
simple
“Too much salt can bloat your stomach.”
contextual
“After the holiday dinner, rich food can bloat his stomach for hours.”
complex
“Years of extra features bloat the once-fast program until it loads slowly on older phones.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “bloat” in context.
Verb
01. bloat with gas
“Your belly can bloat with gas after beans.”
verb + prep + noun
02. face bloat
“Her face bloats if she eats too much salt.”
noun + verb
03. start to bloat
“I usually start to bloat if I eat too fast.”
verb + prep + verb
Adjective
04. badly bloat
“Salty food can badly bloat your face overnight.”
adv + verb
05. severely bloat
“Eating too quickly can severely bloat your stomach.”
adv + verb
Noun
06. bloat budget
“Unnecessary layers can bloat the budget fast.”
verb + noun
07. bloat bureaucracy
“Too many rules bloat bureaucracy and slow decisions.”
verb + noun
08. bloat software
“Adding extras will bloat software and slow it down.”
verb + noun
09. bloat after a heavy meal
“I often bloat after a heavy meal with bread.”
10. bloat software with features
“Don't bloat software with features users never need.”
11. bloat the budget beyond control
“Too many managers can bloat the budget beyond control.”
12. bloat with excess gas
“Your stomach may bloat with excess gas after beans.”
Usage
Occurs both transitively with a direct object and intransitively without one.
Real-World Examples
“There can also be some unwanted side effects from using protein powders such as bloating, gas, cramps, and diarrhoea.” “When he moved to Berlin from South Korea with 10kg of his grandma’s finest kimchi, it became “bloated like a dead whale” and exploded on his balcony.” “But doctors said teasing out the cancer cases at an early stage could be challenging when symptoms such as bloating are hard to distinguish from benign conditions including irritable bowel syndrome.” “Beyond causing bloating, straining, and infrequent bowel movements, it can also interfere with daily life by increasing stress, reducing productivity, and lowering overall quality of life.” 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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
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