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

To outsiders, one of the most impressive things Maresca has done is stabilise a squad that was seen as being hugely inflated, with talk of in excess of 45 players.

From BBC

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

From Los Angeles Times

The news organizations tracked them down as part of an investigation that found Abbott’s claims about the state removing more than 6,500 noncitizens were likely inflated and, in some cases, wrong.

From Salon

And we’ve seen from the inflated housing market that our decades-long obsession with turning real estate into an investment has actually rendered that option obsolete for younger generations.

From Salon

Related Words

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