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Prepositions after verbs

Swell to, of, in, with, or at?

Different prepositions after swell express increase, emotion, physical condition, or reaction.

Quick answer

Common patterns with swell

Use swell to for growth to a number or size, swell with for strong emotion or fullness, and swell in for body parts becoming larger. Swell at is uncommon in modern English.

Attendance swelled to 5,000 people.
Her heart swelled with pride.
His ankle swelled in the heat.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
swell to + number/size

Increase to a level

Use swell to when something grows until it reaches a size or amount.

The crowd swelled to thousands.
Costs swelled to twice the original estimate.
2
swell with + emotion/substance

Become full of something

Use swell with for emotions, pride, or physical fullness.

She swelled with excitement.
The river swelled with rainwater.
3
swell in + body part

Become larger in a body area

Use swell in to refer to swelling occurring in a part of the body.

Her fingers swelled in the cold weather.
The skin swelled in several places.
4
swell of + noun

A rising amount or feeling

Swell of is more common with the noun swell, as in a swell of emotion or support.

There was a swell of applause.
A swell of anger spread through the room.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
swell to
The budget swelled to $2 million.
increase until reaching an amount
swell with
He swelled with pride.
become full of emotion or substance
swell in
Her feet swelled in the heat.
become enlarged in a condition or area
swell of
A swell of support followed the speech.
noun pattern meaning a rising amount
swell at
The phrase swell at is rare and usually not idiomatic in modern English.
generally avoided as a standard pattern

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using swell at as a normal pattern

Swell at is not a common modern combination with this meaning.

✕ The crowd swelled at 10,000. ✓ The crowd swelled to 10,000.

Confusing swell to and swell with

Use to for a final amount and with for emotion or content.

✕ Her heart swelled to pride. ✓ Her heart swelled with pride.

Using swell of as a verb pattern

Swell of is mainly used with the noun swell.

✕ Support swelled of excitement. ✓ Support swelled quickly.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The audience ___ nearly 2,000 people.
2. She ___ joy after hearing the news.
3. There was a ___ support after the announcement.

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Frequently asked questions

Can swell with describe physical fullness?

Yes. Rivers, sails, or clouds can swell with water, wind, or moisture.

Is swell in only used for body parts?

Mostly yes. It commonly describes swelling in skin, hands, feet, or other body areas.

Is swell of a verb structure?

Usually no. It is mainly used with the noun swell, such as a swell of emotion.

sack, by, sack, for, sack, from "sacrifice for" or "sacrifice to"? sail from, in, for, to or through? "salvage from" or "salvage in"? sanction by, for, in, with or according? satisfy with, by, in, about or after? "saturate with" or "saturate in"? save by, for, from, on or in? "say in", "say about" or "say to"? "scan for", "scan in" or "scan through"? "scar by" or "scar on"? scatter in, across, around, throughout or on?

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