deflate

verb

Definition of deflatenext
1
as in to collapse
to become smaller in size or volume due to loss of contents We kept her birthday decorations up until the balloons started deflating.

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2
as in to empty
to make smaller in size or volume by removing the contents Please deflate the air mattress and fold it up before you leave.

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3
as in to reduce
to make or become lower in amount or value The excess supply deflated prices. The company's stock has deflated.

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4
as in to undermine
to cause to lose force or effectiveness Her cutting remark deflated his ego. The lawsuit deflated their hopes for a quick resolution.

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word deflate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of deflate are compress, condense, constrict, contract, and shrink. While all these words mean "to decrease in bulk or volume," deflate implies a contracting by reducing the internal pressure of contained air or gas.

deflate the balloon

When might compress be a better fit than deflate?

The words compress and deflate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, compress implies a pressing into a small compass and definite shape usually against resistance.

compressed cotton into bales

When is it sensible to use condense instead of deflate?

While in some cases nearly identical to deflate, condense implies a reducing of something homogeneous to greater compactness without significant loss of content.

condense the essay into a paragraph

In what contexts can constrict take the place of deflate?

In some situations, the words constrict and deflate are roughly equivalent. However, constrict implies a tightening that reduces diameter.

the throat is constricted by a tight collar

When is contract a more appropriate choice than deflate?

The meanings of contract and deflate largely overlap; however, contract applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles or a reduction of area or length.

caused her muscles to contract

When would shrink be a good substitute for deflate?

The words shrink and deflate can be used in similar contexts, but shrink implies a contracting or a loss of material and stresses a falling short of original dimensions.

the sweater will shrink when washed

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deflate Apple’s visionary sat deflated before his board after being rejected for a second time. —Geoffrey Cain, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026 The Lakers’ latest deflating loss could have used Doncic’s energy, his showmanship, his fire. —Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026 The deflating defeat, narrated by an intermittent cascade of boos, rendered their record the worst in baseball at 7-16 and suddenly a half-game lousier than the idle New York Mets. —Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026 But as the balloon slowly deflated, his strength began to fade. —Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for deflate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflate
  1. collapse
  2. empty
  3. reduce
  4. undermine
  5. compress
  6. drain
  7. decline
  8. weaken
Verb
  • The weekend, for all its promise, tends to collapse into logistics, half-finished to-do lists and the quiet companionship of two people watching the same screen.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • Intellectual humility — the willingness to update your beliefs when the machine pushes back, rather than digging in or collapsing entirely.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • Mitch, along with several family members, fought the flood all night, vacuuming up the sludge and emptying buckets out the window.
    — Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 18 May 2026
  • Most of the hardest-throwing pitchers now are relievers, who can empty their tanks on each pitch without having to keep anything in reserve for later innings.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Definition of empty
Verb
  • Eco effort The hotel employs single-stream recycling and green housekeeping practices, and also has a green roof ecosystem to reduce the building’s heat load.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 May 2026
  • New research suggests these medications, best known for managing diabetes and driving weight loss, may also reduce the severity of one of the most common and underdiagnosed sleep disorders in the country.
    — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • Future decisions embracing those limits could further undermine the landmark voting law, long considered the crown jewel of the civil rights movement, and hamper the ability of voting rights groups and individual voters to file lawsuits alleging violations of the measure.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 18 May 2026
  • Sandweg said one of the director's most underappreciated responsibilities is managing that internal fault line, ensuring that ERO's highly visible arrest operations do not undermine HSI's ability to cultivate the confidential informants and foreign partnerships on which its work depends.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 18 May 2026
Definition of undermine
Verb
  • But the window that Pawlikowski chooses for Fatherland is defiantly compact, a stretch of time that the director compresses even more to place the suicide of Erika’s brother Klaus, which happened in the south of France two months before, within the space of the trip.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2026
  • Anything that compresses operating margin compresses the cash flow bondholders are lending against.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Definition of compress
Verb
  • Mitchell did not miss a shot in the quarter, draining all three of her 3-point tries as well as a step-back jumper.
    — John Davis, Daily News, 14 May 2026
  • Even with so many suspects, Janet's brother, Francesco Caltieri, remembers hope draining away in his family's household.
    — Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • McGrail says Janet declined and put an end to the evening.
    — Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • Schoenbrun’s third feature, Teenage Sex & Death at Camp Miasma stars Einbinder as an enthusiastic young director who is tasked with resurrecting the Camp Miasma slasher franchise after years of subpar sequels and declining fandom.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • The weakened 65-year-old cartel will remain with its five original members—Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela, as well as the Saudis and Kuwaitis—and six oil-producing African nations.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 19 May 2026
  • This can weaken and compromise your home’s structural integrity, which could lead to safety hazards and expensive repairs.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2026
Definition of weaken

Browse Nearby Words

deflagrating
deflate
deflated
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Cite this Entry

“Deflate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflate. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deflate

Nglish: Translation of deflate for Spanish Speakers

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