balloon

³balloon

verb

Definition of BALLOON

intransitive verb

1

: to swell or puff out : expand <ballooned to 200 pounds>

2

: to ascend or travel in or as if in a balloon

3

: to increase rapidly <ballooning prices>

transitive verb

: inflate, increase

Examples of BALLOON

1. Their credit card debt ballooned to more than $5,000.
2. the ballooning costs of education

First Known Use of BALLOON

1841

Related to BALLOON

Synonyms: accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, increase, boom, build up, burgeon (also bourgeon), climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, wax

Antonyms: contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane

Related Words: jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge; heighten, intensify, redouble; blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up); crescendo, crest, peak

Near Antonyms: compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

see all synonyms and antonyms

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