1
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number
Check that you have inflated your tires to the recommended pressure. Some sellers were inflating their prices by as much as 500 per cent.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to accelerate
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
Airbags are designed to inflate automatically on impact.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inflate
The change, to be finalized shortly, inflates the accounting for the upfront cost of studies into HIV vaccines funded by the agency.
—
Melissa Gaffney, CBS News, 30 May 2025
The original complaint accused the crypto exchange of violations including illegally serving U.S. users, inflating trading volumes, and commingling customer funds.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 29 May 2025
Instead, a very different caliber group headlined free agency in 2024: Elias Lindholm, Chandler Stephenson and Steven Stamkos were among the top centers on the board, which inflated their signing values.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Vance’s account of this dispute conveniently inflates the evidence of Abrego Garcia’s alleged membership in the MS-13 gang and omits the U.S. government’s responsibility for returning him to El Salvador.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflate
Melissa Gaffney, CBS News, 30 May 2025
The original complaint accused the crypto exchange of violations including illegally serving U.S. users, inflating trading volumes, and commingling customer funds.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 29 May 2025
Instead, a very different caliber group headlined free agency in 2024: Elias Lindholm, Chandler Stephenson and Steven Stamkos were among the top centers on the board, which inflated their signing values.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Vance’s account of this dispute conveniently inflates the evidence of Abrego Garcia’s alleged membership in the MS-13 gang and omits the U.S. government’s responsibility for returning him to El Salvador.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflate
Verb
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Tacoma did its own analysis and found that people with a regular housing voucher, and no time limit, actually fared better at increasing their incomes and moving on.—
Jennifer Ludden,
NPR,
7 June 2025
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Speaking to journalists in March, Mark Bullingham, who replaced Glenn as CEO in 2019, explained how the FA had used the pre-grown pitches and increased major-event cap to grow Wembley’s revenues.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Iran’s nuclear program accelerated after the breakdown of the 2015 nuclear agreement which halted international inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities.—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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The state both increased funding for special education and accelerated by one year the commitment to fully funding the Education Cost Sharing formula, through which most state aid for local education flows.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
14 June 2025
Verb
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In November, voters in Hawley's home state of Missouri approved a ballot measure to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour, starting in 2026.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
10 June 2025
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Other potential violations of the Byrd Rule could include the elimination of Medicaid funding for transgender care and a proposal to raise immigration fees.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Verb
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Abu Shabab’s social media presence, along with slick videos and fluent English commentary, has expanded.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 June 2025
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The work taps into an expanding debate about how biological evolution fits within the normal framework of science.—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Mike would recall the slimy blisters that rose from Eddie’s face and neck.—
Mark Kriegel
June 4,
Literary Hub,
4 June 2025
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This could further exacerbate the challenges facing first-time homebuyers in the state, who are struggling to get on the property ladder due to historically high mortgage rates, rising prices, and growing housing costs.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Verb
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But the parade feature was added in recent months, ballooning the budget by tens of millions for the already large-scale event and leaving planners for both the city and military scrambling to prepare.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
14 June 2025
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The gathering started small but has ballooned into a major event.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Such symptoms may include: itchy mouth, swelling of the skin, especially lips and eyes, skin rash with hives, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, coughing, asthma symptoms, light headedness, passing out and more.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
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Before the performance came to a close, Khalifa was overcome with emotion as his tear ducts began to swell.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
10 June 2025
Verb
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The effect is to both collapse and distend time until all the souls in the book, most of them nameless anyway, exist at the same time, in the same place, forever.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2025
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Isaiah was also malnourished and dehydrated at the time of his death, with his small and large intestines markedly distended.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Inflate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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