grade inflation
noun
: a rise in the average grade assigned to students
especially
: the assigning of grades higher than previously assigned for given levels of achievement
Examples of grade inflation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Given rampant grade inflation, an internship can be the most important differentiator for recent graduate hiring.
—
Brandon Busteed, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The academic rigor of higher education is also in doubt, with Harvard admitting that rampant grade inflation has resulted in about 60% of the marks that are handed out being A’s, up from 40% a decade ago and less than a quarter 20 years ago.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026
McArdle problematizes grade inflation with no scholarly citations as evidence.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2025
The report also observed grade inflation, with students needing remedial math at UCSD having average high school GPAs of 3.47 in 2019 to 3.65 in 2024.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025
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Brandon Busteed, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The academic rigor of higher education is also in doubt, with Harvard admitting that rampant grade inflation has resulted in about 60% of the marks that are handed out being A’s, up from 40% a decade ago and less than a quarter 20 years ago.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026
McArdle problematizes grade inflation with no scholarly citations as evidence.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2025
The report also observed grade inflation, with students needing remedial math at UCSD having average high school GPAs of 3.47 in 2019 to 3.65 in 2024.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grade inflation
Cite this Entry
“Grade inflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grade%20inflation. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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