deflate

American  

[dih-fleyt] / dɪˈfleɪt /

verb (used with object)

deflated, deflating

1. to release the air or gas from (something inflated, as a balloon).

   They deflated the tires slightly to allow the truck to drive under the overpass.

2. to depress or reduce (a person or a person's ego, hopes, spirits, etc.); puncture; dash.

   Her rebuff thoroughly deflated me.

3. to reduce (currency, prices, etc.) from an inflated condition; to affect with deflation.

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verb (used without object)

deflated, deflating

1. to become deflated.

deflate British  

/ dɪˈfleɪt /

verb

1. to collapse or cause to collapse through the release of gas

2. (tr) to take away the self-esteem or conceit from

3. economics to cause deflation of (an economy, the money supply, etc)

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Other Word Forms

• deflator noun
• self-deflated adjective

Etymology

Origin of deflate

1890–95; < Latin dēflātus blown off, away (past participle of dēflāre ), equivalent to dē- de- + fl ( āre ) to blow + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Kramer warns that if the team doesn’t deflate fast enough, the next balloon in the lineup “will just walk right over the top of us.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Saudi Arabia is also pulling back on its government spending, with deflated oil prices forcing it to downsize many of its gigaprojects, Callen added.

From Los Angeles Times

The indictment caused his recent good spirits to sour, with one adviser describing him as “irritated” and “deflated.”

From Washington Post

But a Trump adviser told the Post that the former president was "irritated" and "deflated" on Thursday.

From Salon

But whenever the focus isn’t on those smaller roles, the film deflates.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• depress
• diminish
• exhaust