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 contract intransitive 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