deflate

[ dih-fleyt ]

verb (used with object)

, de·flat·ed, de·flat·ing.

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.

verb (used without object)

, de·flat·ed, de·flat·ing.

1. to become deflated.

deflate

/ 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)

Derived Forms

• deˈflator, noun

Other Words From

• de·flator noun
• self-de·flated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of deflate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of deflate¹

C19: from de- + ( in ) flate

Example Sentences

Instead, we see the responses at fairly deflated levels, and even growing more pessimistic over time, since the summer.

From Fortune

“The Overnight” attempts to deflate the myth that penis size matters.

From No Straight News

Holes that cause your pad to completely deflate overnight can be tiny and nearly impossible to spot, even with the usual at-home tricks.

From Outside Online

Much of Win at All Costs is dedicated to deflating this particular aspect of Salazar’s image, thanks to new testimony from ex-NOPers like Goucher and her husband Adam, as well Steve Magness, the former coach turned USADA whistleblower.

From Outside Online

The airless rubber tires never deflate and can withstand heavy use, and the bike overall is lightweight but surprisingly durable.

From Popular-Science

How the Christmas holidays and a cash infusion from Russia combined to deflate the protest movement.

From The Daily Beast

When the bubble pops, or in the remote chance that it deflates gradually, the wealth the Party gave the people will deflate too.

From The Daily Beast

This can deflate your ego or spark competitive antics or both.

From The Daily Beast

Even if Tim Cook, the new CEO, proves as able as he has been as acting CEO, the balloon will deflate.

From The Daily Beast

For years, Rove has made it a hobby of sorts to deflate conservatives more popular with the base than he is.

From The Daily Beast

On landing they would solemnly don their clothes, deflate the skins, and go their way.

From Project Gutenberg

It seemed most everyone was rushing to deflate the pizza bubble and end our love affair with the anchovy.

From Project Gutenberg

It may tend to deflate our ego to think that there may be intelligent beings not too different from us who are advanced beyond us.

From Project Gutenberg

German cockroaches may attack newly molted nymphs of their own kind and cause them to deflate (Gould and Deay, 1938).

From Project Gutenberg

On returning, they simply deflate their skin, and sling it over their shoulders.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• depress
• diminish
• exhaust