What does bulged mean?
Bulged is the past tense and past participle of the verb "bulge," meaning to swell outward or stick out in a rounded way, usually because something inside is pressing against a surface. A wallet bulges when overstuffed, a sail bulges in the wind, and a person's pockets may bulge with keys and coins. The word also has a vivid figurative use for eyes that seem to protrude in surprise, anger, or strain, as in "her eyes bulged at the news." Neutral in tone, it appears freely in everyday speech and literary description alike. Its history is surprisingly humble: "bulge" descends from the Latin "bulga," a leather satchel, carried into English through Old French — making it an etymological cousin of "budget," which once meant a small pouch of money. The word endures because few others capture so precisely that image of a surface straining, roundly and visibly, against its limits.
verbPast tense and past participle of "bulge": to swell outward or protrude roundedly beyond the surrounding surface, as under pressure or because the contents are packed inside.
- To swell outward or protrude in a rounded shape, especially because of pressure or contents pushing from within.
- (Of eyes) to appear to protrude, typically from shock, strain, or exertion.
"The canvas bag bulged with the weight of the books inside."
"The suitcase bulged at the seams after he stuffed in one last sweater."
"Her eyes bulged with astonishment when she read the telegram."
Before it meant swelling outward, "bulge" was a leather bag — the same Latin root that gave us the word "budget," which originally meant a little pouch of money.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bulged
Bulged derives from the verb "bulge," which entered English in the early 17th century from the noun "bulge," meaning a leather sack or wallet. That noun traces back through Old French "boulge" to the Latin "bulga," a leather bag — a word of possible Gaulish origin. The same Latin root ultimately gave rise to "budget" (via Old French "bougette," a small pouch) and is related to "bilge." The sense shifted from the swollen shape of a full sack to any rounded protrusion.
Related word forms
How bulged is actually used
Most often used in the continuous and simple past forms; frequently followed by "with" to indicate what is causing the swelling (e.g. "bulged with supplies"). Neutral register, common in both literal physical description and figurative use.
Easily confused with bulged
"Bolted" means ran away suddenly or fastened with a bolt, whereas "bulged" means swelled or protruded outward.