swallow
swallow — verb
1. to move food, liquid, or a pill from the mouth down the throat and into the stom
to move food, liquid, or a pill from the mouth down the throat and into the stomach by tightening the throat muscles
Bao took a large bite of bread and struggled to swallow it.
transitive: swallow + object (food)
The medicine was so bitter that Jiwoo could barely swallow the liquid.
Noa swallowed a piece of cheese quickly and drank some water.
The cat refused to swallow the pill, so Rachid hid it in some butter.
Kevin's throat was so dry that he could not swallow the dry biscuit.
negative: cannot / could not swallow
- swallow food
- swallow a pill
- swallow liquid
- swallow hard
- swallow whole
- spit out
to force something out of the mouth instead of swallowing it
Grammar Patterns
swallow + object (food/drink/pill)
swallow (intransitive, no object)
Usage Note
The intransitive use ('I can't swallow') is common in medical or health contexts.
Common Mistakes
2. to tighten the muscles of the throat as if trying to move something down, often
to tighten the muscles of the throat as if trying to move something down, often because a person feels anxious, scared, or is about to speak
Walid swallowed hard before stepping onto the stage to give his speech.
collocation: swallow hard (nervous gesture)
Elena swallowed nervously as the manager called her name during the meeting.
Theo swallowed several times while waiting for the dentist to begin the checkup.
Hugo could feel his throat tighten and he swallowed before he asked the question.
followed by a clause describing the situation causing nerves
- swallow hard
- swallow nervously
- swallow before speaking
- gulp
more informal, describes a loud or visible swallowing from nerves
Grammar Patterns
swallow (no object, often with adverb: swallow nervously/hard)
Usage Note
This sense is always intransitive — nothing is actually being moved into the stomach. Commonly paired with adverbs: 'swallow hard' or 'swallow nervously'.
Common Mistakes
3. to completely cover, absorb, or take something into itself so that the thing is
to completely cover, absorb, or take something into itself so that the thing is no longer visible or separate — for example, a big company taking over a small one, or fog hiding a building
The fog swallowed the lighthouse light and made it invisible from the shore.
transitive: fog + swallow + object
A large cloud of smoke from the explosion swallowed the building entirely.
The big corporation swallowed up three small companies in under two years.
phrasal verb: swallow up (business context)
The dark jungle seemed to swallow every beam of light that entered it.
- swallow up
- swallowed by fog/darkness
- swallowed by the crowd
- release
to let go of something
- emerge from
to come out from being surrounded
Grammar Patterns
swallow + object (a physical thing)
swallow up + object
Usage Note
Frequently used as the phrasal verb 'swallow up'. The subject is typically something large, powerful, or all-consuming (darkness, a crowd, a company).
Common Mistakes
4. to use up a large amount of something valuable, especially money, time, or resou
to use up a large amount of something valuable, especially money, time, or resources, so that little or nothing is left
The cost of repairing the old house swallowed most of their savings.
subject is a cost/expense; object is money/savings
Rent and utility bills swallowed half of Vivek's salary each month.
Unexpected legal fees swallowed up the money Kevin had set aside for his holiday.
phrasal verb: swallow up + money
The new computer system swallowed all the department's budget for the year.
- swallow savings
- swallow the budget
- swallow up resources
- swallowed by costs
- save
to keep money rather than spend it
Grammar Patterns
swallow + money/savings/resources
swallow up + percentage/amount
Usage Note
Object is usually an amount of money or a resource. The phrasal form 'swallow up' emphasizes complete consumption. Distinguish from sense 3 (ENGULF & ABSORB) — sense 3 is about physical engulfment or corporate takeover, while this sense specifically targets financial/resources.
5. to believe a statement or claim someone makes without questioning whether it is
to believe a statement or claim someone makes without questioning whether it is really true — for example, taking a salesperson's promises at face value
Marco swallowed every story the salesman told him without asking a single question.
swallow + story/claim (uncritical acceptance)
The public did not swallow the government's explanation for the sudden tax increase.
negative: did not swallow = refused to believe
Ezra's younger brother would swallow any excuse their mother gave for being late.
The investors refused to swallow the claim that the company had no financial problems.
- swallow a story
- swallow an excuse
- swallow a claim
- hard to swallow
Grammar Patterns
swallow + claim/excuse/story
swallow + that-clause
Usage Note
This sense is distinct from the phrasal 'swallow [one's] pride' or 'swallow an insult' — which are about enduring something unpleasant. This sense specifically describes believing information without critical thought. Often used in negative constructions ('don't swallow that').
Common Mistakes
6. to keep a strong feeling from being shown or expressed to other people — for exa
to keep a strong feeling from being shown or expressed to other people — for example, hiding anger when you want to shout, or hiding disappointment when you lose
Elena swallowed her anger and spoke calmly to the customer who had shouted at her.
swallow + one's + emotion (anger)
Jiwoo swallowed her disappointment and congratulated the winner with a smile.
Hugo swallowed his pride and asked his younger brother for help with the maths homework.
common collocation: swallow one's pride
The soldier swallowed his fear and ran towards the sound of the explosion.
- swallow one's pride
- swallow one's anger
- swallow one's disappointment
- swallow one's fear
Grammar Patterns
swallow + emotion (anger/pride/disappointment)
swallow + one's + emotion
Usage Note
Object is almost always an emotion — commonly 'anger', 'pride', 'disappointment', 'fear', 'tears'. 'Swallow one's pride' is a very common fixed expression meaning to accept doing something humiliating.
Common Mistakes
7. to admit that something you said earlier was wrong and that you no longer stand
to admit that something you said earlier was wrong and that you no longer stand by that statement.
The newspaper had to swallow its earlier claim after the reporter's source was proven unreliable.
swallow + claim/statement (retract a published claim)
Bao swallowed his criticism once he saw the latest data from the research team.
When the evidence contradicted her story, the witness reluctantly swallowed her testimony.
adverb reluctantly + swallow (shows unwillingness)
The politician refused to swallow his words even after the video proved him wrong.
- swallow one's words
- swallow a claim
- swallow a statement
- swallow criticism
- reluctantly swallow
- refuse to swallow
Grammar Patterns
swallow + object phrase (statement/claim/testimony/words)
Usage Note
The fixed phrase 'swallow one's words' is the most common form of this sense. The object is almost always a claim, statement, or criticism that the speaker previously made.
Common Mistakes
8. to speak words so quietly or unclearly that other people cannot hear or understa
to speak words so quietly or unclearly that other people cannot hear or understand them properly.
Rachid swallowed his words during the job interview, so the panel asked him to repeat.
swallow + words (mumble from nervousness)
The shy boy swallowed his answer when the teacher called on him in class.
Vivek swallowed a greeting as he passed the security guard, who nodded without hearing.
Ezra was so tired that he swallowed every other word of his report.
swallow + every other word (extreme unclear speech from fatigue)
- swallow one's words
- swallow an answer
- swallow a greeting
- swallow a name
- enunciate
to speak each word clearly and distinctly
- articulate
to express thoughts clearly in speech
Grammar Patterns
swallow + object (words/answer/greeting/name)
Usage Note
The object is always speech-related (words, answer, name, greeting). This sense frequently appears with reasons for the unclear speech — nervousness, shyness, tiredness, or reluctance.
Common Mistakes
9. to endure rude or insulting treatment without complaining or defending yourself.
to endure rude or insulting treatment without complaining or defending yourself.
Jiwoo swallowed her manager's harsh feedback during the meeting and did not defend herself.
swallow + criticism/feedback (endure without reacting)
The team had to swallow a disappointing loss in the final round of the competition.
Kevin swallowed his pride and asked his former employee for a job reference.
collocation: swallow one's pride (accept a humiliating situation)
Noa swallowed the rude comments from the audience and finished the speech with a smile.
It was hard to swallow the unfair decision, but the family chose not to complain.
- swallow an insult
- swallow criticism
- swallow a defeat
- swallow one's pride
- swallow a loss
- difficult to swallow
- hard to swallow
- reject
to refuse to accept an insult or unfair treatment
- protest
to express strong disagreement publicly
- fight back
to defend yourself against an attack or criticism
Grammar Patterns
swallow + object (insult/criticism/defeat/pride)
Usage Note
Common objects are insults, criticism, defeats, and proud emotions. 'Swallow one's pride' is a fixed collocation meaning to accept a situation that damages your dignity. Distinguish from sense 5 (accept without question), where the object is information or a claim — here the object is always something unpleasant or offensive.
Common Mistakes
Something that is very hard to accept or deal with.
Losing the championship was a bitter pill for the team to swallow.
For Sara, the rejection letter was a bitter pill to swallow.
Looking very satisfied or smug about something.
After winning the lottery, he looked like the cat that swallowed the canary.
Maya grinned like the cat that ate the canary when she got the promotion.
swallow — noun
1. the motion you make with your neck muscles when passing food or drink down towar
the motion you make with your neck muscles when passing food or drink down toward your stomach, or the amount moved in one such motion
Elena took a long swallow of cold water after her morning run.
collocation: take a swallow of + liquid
With one last swallow, Kevin finished the soup and set down his spoon.
Theo drank an entire glass of milk in a single swallow without stopping.
pattern: in a single swallow
A quick swallow of hot tea helped warm Noa up on the snowy morning.
Each swallow of the bitter medicine made Marco's face twist in disgust.
- a swallow of water
- take a swallow
- in one swallow
- a quick swallow
- a long swallow
Grammar Patterns
a swallow of + noun (liquid/food)
take a swallow
in one swallow
Usage Note
Often used with 'take' or 'have', as in 'take a swallow of water' or 'had a quick swallow of coffee'.
Common Mistakes
2. a small swift bird that hunts flying insects while in the air, known for its sli
a small swift bird that hunts flying insects while in the air, known for its slim body and the two sharp points at the end of its tail
A small flock of swallows circled above the rice field at sunset.
collocation: a flock of swallows
Bao watched a swallow build its mud nest under the bridge near his house.
Every spring, the swallows return to the old barn behind Walid's farm.
pattern: the swallows return in spring
Rachid pointed at a swallow swooping low over the lake at dusk.
The children counted the swallows sitting on the telephone wires outside.
- a flock of swallows
- a swallow's nest
- the return of the swallows
- swallows swoop
Grammar Patterns
a flock of swallows
a swallow's nest
Common Mistakes
said to mean that a single positive sign or piece of evidence is not enough to prove that a major change or lasting situation has really happened
Vivek celebrated his first sale, but his mentor reminded him that one swallow does not a summer make.
The early warm day felt like spring, but one swallow does not a summer make — snow might still come.
Word family
- swallowsverbA2
- swallowedverbA2
- swallowingverbA2
- swallowernounC1
- swallowableadjectiveC1
- swallowsnounB1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
While all four words describe taking something into the body through the mouth, they differ in speed, formality, and context. 'Swallow' is the neutral, everyday term for moving food or drink from mouth to stomach (e.g., 'She swallowed the pill with water'). 'Gulp' suggests a large, fast, often audible swallow, frequently implying eagerness or thirst ('He gulped down his coffee and ran out'). 'Down' is informal and used almost exclusively for drinks or pills ('She downed a glass of juice in one go'). 'Ingest' is formal and technical, used in medical or scientific writing ('The patient ingested a toxic substance'). 'Consume' is broader — it can mean eating or drinking but also using up resources; it is more formal than 'swallow' and less tied to the throat-and-stomach action ('The athlete consumed a high-protein meal').
Common collocations
Adverbs
- quickly
- slowly
- easily
- reluctantly
- nervously
Phrases
- swallow hard
- swallow your pride
- swallow whole
- hard to swallow
- swallow up
Prepositions
- in
- with
Etymology
The verb 'swallow' comes from Old English swelgan ('to swallow, absorb'), from Proto-Germanic *swelganą. Cognates include Dutch zwelgen and German schwelgen ('to revel, gorge'). The noun referring to the small migratory bird (Old English swealwe, from Proto-Germanic *swalwōn) has a completely different origin and is not historically related to the verb. The two words happen to share the same modern spelling and pronunciation, making 'swallow' a pair of convergent homonyms.