inflated; inflating
1
: to swell or distend with air or gas
2
: to puff up : elate
inflate one's ego
3
: to expand or increase abnormally or imprudently
: to become inflated
Examples of inflate in a Sentence
We used a pump to inflate the raft.
Economists warn that rapid economic growth could inflate prices.
Increased competition has inflated salaries among professional athletes.
Rapid economic growth may cause prices to inflate.
Recent Examples on the Web
The financial watchdog previously sued Binance and its billionaire founder Changpeng Zhao in 2023, accusing the exchange for mishandling customer funds and artificially inflating trading volumes, among other allegations.
—
Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Kennedy has also faced criticism this week for inflating the risks of measles vaccines when discussing the record outbreak in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
—Gabrielle Ake, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025
The tube is a tamponade with multiple balloons that inflate to stop bleeding in multiple areas.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
With entire flocks culled to prevent the spread of the virus, the egg supply has been strained, leading to shortages in stores and inflated costs for consumers.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflate
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Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Kennedy has also faced criticism this week for inflating the risks of measles vaccines when discussing the record outbreak in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
—Gabrielle Ake, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025
The tube is a tamponade with multiple balloons that inflate to stop bleeding in multiple areas.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
With entire flocks culled to prevent the spread of the virus, the egg supply has been strained, leading to shortages in stores and inflated costs for consumers.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflate
Cite this Entry
“Inflate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflate. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inflate
verb
in·flate
in-ˈflāt 
inflated; inflating
1
: to swell or fill with air or gas
inflate a balloon
2
: to increase abnormally
inflated prices
inflatable
adjective
-ə-bəl
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