1
as in collapses
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 empties
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 reduces
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 undermines
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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Recent Examples of deflates
But Grande’s conceited blonde bubblehead gains in stature here as Glinda assumes statesmanlike responsibility to spread goodness in Oz, while experiencing crushing romantic disappointment that humbles her and deflates her vanity.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
Cade Horton’s late injury scratch deflates some of the vibes, too.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
That determination is sent back to the device, which inflates or deflates balloons with air to assist in raising or lowering the arm.
—Mack Degeurin Aug 21, Popular Science, 21 Aug. 2025
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
Cade Horton’s late injury scratch deflates some of the vibes, too.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
That determination is sent back to the device, which inflates or deflates balloons with air to assist in raising or lowering the arm.
—Mack Degeurin Aug 21, Popular Science, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflates
Verb
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Multiple Independence homeowners suffered structural damage, flooding or partial home collapses that week, including Manuel Ramirez and Michael Thomas, whose home was built in 1949.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
11 Feb. 2026
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Social psychologists have long demonstrated that when individuals merge into a group, nuance collapses.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Every weekday before dawn, Deltona empties itself onto I-4.—
Christopher Bellingham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
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The bustling evening market, where locals gather for tacos, now empties out early.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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By leveraging light to enhance oxygen electrochemistry, the approach reduces energy losses and extends device lifetime without relying on precious metals.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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The hostage standoff ultimately reduces both men into victims, revealing where power really lies.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That lesson undermines every company trying to build trust, loyalty and long-term engagement.—
Helmut Paul,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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The association is withdrawing as the official facilitator of the White House meeting, saying the partisan approach undermines collaboration.—
Joey Cappelletti,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On the morning of January 29, 2024, her family evacuates their homes in Tel al-Hawa in Gaza City.—
E. Alex Jung,
Vulture,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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When Heathcliff, a foundling, discovers that Cathy Earnshaw, the daughter of the impoverished Yorkshire lord who’s taken him in, has played a prank on him by putting eggs in his beds to be crushed, the boy plunges his fingers into the slippery puddle of yolk and albumen left behind.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
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Madelyn Cline is giving all the stylish WAGS who showed up at the 2026 NFL Honors a run for their money thanks to a blue Christopher Esber gown that plunges all the way to her stomach.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When the vortex weakens, that tight circle becomes wavier, akin to how a slow-moving river tends to meander in bends across the landscape, Swain says.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
9 Feb. 2026
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In contrast to conventional recycling, which weakens fibers and limits how they can be reused, Uplift360’s non-degenerative method produces material that can go straight back into high-performance supply chains.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Use a good quality potting mix that drains well in the container.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Feb. 2026
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Make sure to empty any excess water that drains into the saucer to keep the roots from getting soggy.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflates. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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