Main Entry: de·flate

Pronunciation: \di-ˈflāt, ˌdē-\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): de·flat·ed; de·flat·ing

Etymology: de- + -flate (as in inflate)

Date: 1891

transitive verb 1 : to release air or gas from <deflate a tire>
2 : to reduce in size, importance, or effectiveness <deflate his ego with cutting remarks>
3 : to reduce (a price level) or cause (a volume of credit) to contractintransitive verb : to lose firmness through or as if through the escape of contained gas

synonyms see contract

— de·fla·tor also de·fla·ter \-ˈflā-tər\ noun