What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
swell
Example
The river swelled after the heavy rain. [swelled: past tense]
Example
Her ankle swelled up after she twisted it. [swelled up: phrasal verb]
grow
Example
The tree grew taller every year. [grew: past tense]
Example
She grew tired of waiting for the bus. [grew: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Grow is more commonly used than swell in everyday language. Grow is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while swell is less common and has more specific uses.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between swell and grow?
Both swell and grow are neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
