inflate

in·flate

A man inflates a balloon.

verb

The definition of inflate is to fill an expandable structure with air or gas to make it larger, or to exaggerate something or increase something by a large amount.

When you blow up a balloon or fill it with helium, this is an example of when you inflate.
When a balloon is filled with helium and grows rounder and larger, this is an example of when it inflates.
When you have a minor little paper cut and you act as if you are dying, this is an example of when you = inflate the importance of the cut.
When the cost of a movie ticket goes from $2 to $10, this is an example of a time the theatre inflates the prices.

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"inflate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/inflate>.

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inflate. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/inflate

inflate

transitive verb

-·flat′ed, -·flat′ing

to blow full or swell out as with air or gas; distend; expand; dilate
to raise in spirits; make proud or elated
to increase or raise beyond what is normal or valid
to cause inflation of (money, credit, etc.)

Origin of inflate

from Classical Latin inflatus, past participle of inflare, to blow into, inflate from in-, in + flare, to blow

to become inflated; swell

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MLA Style

"inflate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/inflate>.

APA Style

inflate. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/inflate

inflate

verb

in·flat·ed, in·flat·ing, in·flates

verb

transitive

To fill (something) with air or gas so as to make it swell: inflated the balloon with helium.
a. To fill with pride; aggrandize: positive reviews that inflated the actor's ego.
b. To represent as greater or more important than is in fact the case: inflated the box office receipts to mislead the investors. See Synonyms at exaggerate.
To cause (a currency or economy) to undergo inflation.

verb

intransitive

To become inflated.

Origin of inflate

Middle English inflaten from Latin īnflāre īnflāt- in- in ; see in- ². flāre to blow ; see bhlē- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

in·fla′tor in·flat′er
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"inflate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/inflate>.

APA Style

inflate. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/inflate

Verb

(third-person singular simple present inflates, present participle inflating, simple past and past participle inflated)

To enlarge an object by pushing air (a gas) into it; to raise or expand abnormally
You inflate a balloon by blowing air into it.
(intransitive) To enlarge by filling with air (a gas).
The balloon will inflate if you blow into it.
(figuratively) To swell; to puff up.
to inflate somebody with pride or vanity