inflate

[ in-fleyt ]

verb (used with object)

, in·flat·ed, in·flat·ing.

1. to distend; swell or puff out; dilate:

   The king cobra inflates its hood.

   Antonyms: deflate

2. to cause to expand or distend with air or gas:

   to inflate a balloon.

3. to puff up with pride, satisfaction, etc.
4. to elate.
5. Economics. to expand (money, prices, an economy, etc.) unduly in amount, value, or size; affect with inflation.

verb (used without object)

, in·flat·ed, in·flat·ing.

1. to become inflated.
2. to increase, especially suddenly and substantially:

   The $10 subscription has inflated to $25.

inflate

/ ɪnˈfleɪt /

verb

1. to expand or cause to expand by filling with gas or air

   she needed to inflate the tyres

2. tr to cause to increase excessively; puff up; swell

   to inflate one's opinion of oneself

3. tr to cause inflation of (prices, money, etc)
4. tr to raise in spirits; elate
5. intr to undergo economic inflation

Derived Forms

• inˈflatedly, adverb
• inˈflater, noun
• inˈflatedness, noun

Other Words From

• in·flater in·flator noun
• over·in·flate verb (used with object) overinflated overinflating
• rein·flate verb reinflated reinflating

Word History and Origins

Origin of inflate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of inflate¹

C16: from Latin inflāre to blow into, from flāre to blow

Synonym Study

See expand.

Example Sentences

“They collapse suddenly and then inflate and collapse suddenly — that was kind of the basis of the choreography,” Oppenheimer recalls.

From Los Angeles Times

Business interests played a role in driving concerns about property crime and organized retail thefts, which were repeatedly highlighted by proponents of Proposition 36, even though a Times investigation previously suggested such groups often grossly inflate the financial losses they suffer due to crime.

From Los Angeles Times

Imagine mastodon-like creatures whose noses are wind instruments that inflate the structures and emit sound.

From Los Angeles Times

Companies use a kind of mathematical sleight of hand called mass balance to inflate the recycledness of their most lucrative products by taking credit for the recycled content of other, less lucrative products.

From Salon

Any additional losses could further inflate costs for goods like orange juice, which reached record highs this year, according to Lee, the agricultural economist.

From Salon

Related Words

• augment
• bloat
• boost
• enlarge
• escalate
• exaggerate
• expand
• magnify
• maximize
• overestimate
• pad
• widen