# bloat

/ˈbɫoʊt/ (US) · /blˈəʊt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bloat
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Occurs both transitively with a direct object and intransitively without one.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.