balloon

balloon

verb

Definition of BALLOON

1

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number <the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter>

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

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

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

2

to extend outward beyond a usual point <the paper bag ballooned and blew away as the wind lifted it skyward>

Synonyms bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pooch [chiefly dialect], pouch, pout, project, protrude, stand out, start, stick out, swell

Related Words dome; blow up, inflate; dilate, distend, expand; mushroom, snowball; elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch

Near Antonyms compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink