1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
the paper bag ballooned and blew away as the wind lifted it skyward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of balloon
From concerns about ballooning deficits to controversial cuts to Medicaid, many see the legislation as a step backward.
—
Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Building the new stadium, once projected to cost taxpayers around $10.5 million, has instead ballooned to about $91 million investment.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 24 July 2025
As the number of seniors skyrockets, government obligations for the welfare of the elderly, chiefly pensions and health care, have ballooned.
—Mark L. Haas, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2025
The analogy underscores a grim reality: Debt service payments have ballooned as a share of government spending, increasingly crowding out funds for other priorities.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Building the new stadium, once projected to cost taxpayers around $10.5 million, has instead ballooned to about $91 million investment.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 24 July 2025
As the number of seniors skyrockets, government obligations for the welfare of the elderly, chiefly pensions and health care, have ballooned.
—Mark L. Haas, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2025
The analogy underscores a grim reality: Debt service payments have ballooned as a share of government spending, increasingly crowding out funds for other priorities.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloon
Verb
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Decades of research and studies in agriculture have increased production across all crops in the U.S., said James, and cannabis can adopt those same technologies.—
Julie Weed,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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The top reason students opt not to pursue higher education is cost, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board states, though having a degree can drastically increase earnings.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
Verb
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That power runs through a six-speed sequential gearbox, controlled via a large handle protruding between us, just beside the equally tall handbrake.—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
29 July 2025
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Then on September 15, 2024, as Trump was golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida, a Secret Service agent, authorities said, saw Routh's rifle protruding through the golf course fence and opened fire.—
Peter Aitken
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Sales rose 7% in the second quarter compared with Q2 2024 and 12% in 2025’s first half.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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Those are the three names president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski mentioned as rising to the occasion in the bullpen when asked earlier on Monday.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Verb
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This review pokes a useful hole in the breathless reception this film received, while managing to feel fond.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
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The dish is almost a tease, tickling and poking you by showcasing carrots such that here a confident argument is made to herald them in as the pre-eminent salad vegetable.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
23 July 2025
Verb
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This leads to swelling and a build-up of fluids in the area, which can cause cloudy vision and other changes.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
30 July 2025
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The body also produces less albumin - a protein that helps maintain fluid balance - leading to swelling in the legs and abdomen.—
Michal Ruprecht,
NPR,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Both can affect your quality of life: Atherosclerosis can cause heart attacks, strokes, poor blood flow to the legs, or bulging arteries.—
Alexandria Nyembwe,
Health,
20 July 2025
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Blount, who appeared wearing a white button-down shirt and tie, his hands shackled in front of him, his bulging gut and beige tie spilling over his beige pants, appeared impassive and refused to meet his victim’s gaze as Rothschild addressed him personally.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
10 July 2025
Verb
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As for Nowak’s question about the possibility of AWS’ growth rate accelerating in the back half of the year, Jassy wouldn’t directly answer it but stressed his optimism, in part stemming from AWS customers starting to deploy more AI products at scale that should continue to ramp in coming quarters.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
1 Aug. 2025
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This substantial increase in funding is intended to support the administration's efforts to accelerate deportations in pursuit of fulfilling President Trump's goal of removing one million individuals within a year.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As of 2025, fiber internet is available to approximately 88.1 million U.S. households (56.5%), but access is expanding rapidly.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
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Plans to redevelop and expand Whitefish Bay's Sendik's Food Market would put a new two-story store on a prominent Silver Spring Drive corner just east of the grocer's existing location, which would be demolished and turned into a parking lot.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloon. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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