Swoll vs Swole: Which Is The Correct Term To Use?

The fitness community is interesting. A lot of us could not imagine going to the gym after spending a 10-hour shift at work and lifting weights for over an hour. But for gym rats, this is the definition of fun! Improving their “gains,” finishing that extra “rep,” and getting “swole/swoll” after their 3-hour CrossFit sesh is the goal every time they step into that gym. What is “getting swole” anyways?

The words “swole” and “swoll” are both slang terms derived from the word “swollen.” It is most often used on the internet, mostly in bodybuilding and gym forums, to refer to when someone has a well-defined physique or has enhanced their physique by weight lifting and bodybuilding exercises.

When people say that they are “swollen,” they usually refer to when a part of their body becomes abnormally enraged, usually due to an excess of fluid or inflammation of the said body part. So why are the terms “swoll” or “swole” used in a positive manner in bodybuilding communities? Read on to find out!

Origins of the Words

So, we understand that the words “swole” and “swoll” are derived from the word “swelled” or “swollen,” generally to refer to someone’s body part swelling up due to some sort of affliction or stress to the body part.

For context, the word swell, and its past participle swollen, according to the Oxford DIctionary, means (in regards to a body part) to become larger or rounder in size, usually as a result of a buildup of fluid. Example:

• Pasta swells up during the cooking process.
• Some of the symptoms may include swelling of the legs.
• This bruise is going to swell up really bad.

The first of the two terms to have come up was “swole,” from the word “swell.” It used to be the correct past tense of the word “swell.”

• Example: swell/swole/swollen

After the nineteenth century, the form “swelled” for its spelling began to catch more popularity from authors and writers, hence why it is the term that we use nowadays.

The term “swole” is considered to be a dialect from the southern United States, but it really began to flourish into the meaning we now know of due to its popular use in rap and hip-hop music and in sports.

In music, the term is said to be popularized by the rap legend Tupac Shakur when he used the term in his song “When I Get Free,” talking about his time in prison and about exercising until becoming muscular-looking or buff:

“…did push-ups till I was swole up….”

Also, the hip-hop rapper Ice-T used the term in his song “The Tower” to refer to buff guys at the prison yard:

“The brothers was swole The attitudes was cold Felt the tension on the yard From the young and the old”

Many people attribute the “swoll” meaning defining itself, to “bulk up” in the fitness, weight lifting, and bodybuilding communities to the appearance of the bodybuilder Joey Swoll, who participated in the 1999 World Championship Wrestling. His team, The No Limit Soldiers, were known for playing popular rap music for the crowd before matches.

Soon, the term “swoll,” from the bodybuilder’s name, became popular among bodybuilders and weightlifters, continuing to increase its popularity among the workout culture.

Definitions

“Swole” and “swoll,” as we know, have basically the same meaning. Both of them are terms popularized by the internet and gym culture to refer to someone “buffing up” or becoming more muscular, generally used in a positive tone.

The term “swole,” which is the original term, refers to men showing each other’s muscles or skills, usually before a fight. It can also mean having well-developed muscles, especially of a man, although the term is often used to describe very muscular women as well.

The term is also used as a synonym for the word “swollen.” Examples:

• My jaw is so swole I can’t even eat.
• I’m definitely more swole than that guy.
• My feet are all swole from walking in heels all day.
• I don’t wanna be swole! I’m a girl!
• I don’t like guys that look all swole up like that.
• She was hurt so badly; her entire face was swollen!
• We are forming a club at the gym for people that want to get swole up!
• Please miss, you’re making my head go all swole”
• Give me your lunch money, or I’ll give you a swollen eye!

An alternate meaning from the internet that has nothing to do with the bodybuilding or gym community is the term “swole” in regards to arousal or an erect penis. Example:

• That make-out session got me swole.
• Swole wiener.
• She got me all swole last night.

Swoll is considered to be an alternative spelling of the word “swole.” It’s also the more popularly used term. Unlike swole, which may also be used to refer to the actual word “swollen,” swoll is mostly exclusively used in gym and bodybuilding culture. Examples:

• Your arms be looking so swoll, bro!
• Her stance in the main stage showed off her mega swoll triceps.
• That contestant has the most swoll body I’ve ever seen; I’m impressed!
• How do you get a swoll, buff look?
• We’re gonna go into this gym, and we’re gonna get all swoll!

Internet Jokes and Memes

Another derivative from the terms swole and swoll is the term “swoleiosis.” It is definitely the least-used term, and according to Urban Dictionary, it means: “So swole that it’s sick”.

So sweoleiosis means to be extremely and ridiculously buff. The term is not used in real day-to-day life. It is most often used in internet jokes and memes in fitness, weight lifting, and bodybuilding communities. Examples:

• Dang bro! Looking like you got sweoleiosis!
• Swoleiosis can be cured.

Other Uses of the Term

As we all know, the internet is a fun and magical place where literally anything can be turned into a joke or a meme. Here are other ways we have found that the term could potentially also be used:

• Bank account. If your bank account is “swole” or “swoll,” it means, and it is enlarged, that you have a big bank account. Not big in the sense of literal size, but referring to having lots of money in it. Examples:
  • Swole bank account gang.
  • If you have to look at the price tag, your bank account isn’t swoll enough.

• Person. Someone is “swole” or “swoll” when they are cool, friendly, or just generally a good person that others have a positive image of. It can be considered a synonym of “cool” or “nice.” This is another of the lesser-known meanings behind the terms. Examples:
  • That guy from the party last night, John, was a pretty swoll dude.
  • Do you think Lin is swole? I definitely don’t think so.

• Fridge. Having a swoll or swole fridge refers to having a fully stocked fridge. If you can open your fridge and find it stocked with food, juices, beer, drinks, snacks, and leftovers, then you can consider your fridge swoll! Examples:
  • I love going to my parent’s house; their fridge is always swoll.
  • I feel empty when my fridge is not all swole.
  • We have to go to the store tonight and swoll up the fridge.

• A party. This term is usually used when referring to house parties, where there is food and drink. If your party is full of partying guests, is well-stocked with various food and drink items, as well as activities for guests, it is considered a swole or swoll party.

Examples:

• Damn, this party is swole! Sam really went all-out!
• Let’s skip this lame-ass party. I heard the party at Jamie’s is swoll as hell.
• I said this party was gonna be swole, didn’t I?

In Conclusion

The terms swole, swoll, and even the term “swoleiosis” can all be found to be used in the fitness, weight lifting, and bodybuilding communities to refer to bulking up, becoming bigger, and more muscular. More often than not, it is mostly used in internet jokes and memes in these communities, not necessarily as a real, formal term.

Outside of the fitness and weight lifting community, the terms have various meanings that are interpretative in nature. In internet culture, the context in which the word or words are said is very important and influences the word’s actual meaning.

While the terms swole, swoll, and even the term “swoleiosis” can refer to exercising and bulking up, it may also mean that something is prominent in a positive sense or that something is “good” or “cool.”