inflate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to distend; swell or puff out; dilate.
The king cobra inflates its hood.
- Antonyms:
- deflate
-
to cause to expand or distend with air or gas.
to inflate a balloon.
-
to puff up with pride, satisfaction, etc.
-
to elate.
-
Economics. to expand (money, prices, an economy, etc.) unduly in amount, value, or size; affect with inflation.
verb (used without object)
-
to become inflated.
-
to increase, especially suddenly and substantially.
The $10 subscription has inflated to $25.
verb
-
to expand or cause to expand by filling with gas or air
she needed to inflate the tyres
-
(tr) to cause to increase excessively; puff up; swell
to inflate one's opinion of oneself
-
(tr) to cause inflation of (prices, money, etc)
-
(tr) to raise in spirits; elate
-
(intr) to undergo economic inflation
Related Words
See expand.
Other Word Forms
- inflatedly adverb
- inflatedness noun
- inflater noun
- inflator noun
- overinflate verb (used with object)
- reinflate verb
Etymology
Origin of inflate
First recorded in 1500–20; from Latin inflātus, past participle of inflāre “to blow on or into, puff out,” equivalent to in- in- 2 + flā- blow 2 + -tus past participle suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The university’s admissions place a heavy emphasis on GPAs, but these don’t reliably reflect student preparation because grades are inflated.
Lower expected tariffs helped, as the amount of upside was likely inflated by companies guiding conservatively for the third quarter back in July and August.
From Barron's
Lower expected tariffs helped, as the amount of upside was likely inflated by companies guiding conservatively for the third quarter back in July and August.
From Barron's
Tickets for corporate areas, which rarely sell out, have been reduced in price meaning paying inflated sums to touts is unnecessary.
From BBC
But investors have begun questioning this logic, fretting that the spending spree might be inflating a bubble that will inevitably pop.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
