as in exaggerated
extended beyond normal or realistic bounds
he's been walking around with an inflated ego every since he got the promotion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in increased
to make greater in size, amount, or number
Check that you have inflated your tires to the recommended pressure. Some sellers were inflating their prices by as much as 500 per cent.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in accelerated
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
Airbags are designed to inflate automatically on impact.
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of inflated
Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Iron Horse is owned by Rodney Burrell, a former Northville hauling company owner who pleaded guilty to bid rigging in 2010 after submitting an inflated bid to help former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s friend Bobby Ferguson win a contract.
—Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Prices don’t feel over-inflated like most minibars.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflated
Adjective
However, Spak thinks Rivian’s risk-reward ratio now appears less favorable, saying the company’s current valuation may be too inflated.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Iron Horse is owned by Rodney Burrell, a former Northville hauling company owner who pleaded guilty to bid rigging in 2010 after submitting an inflated bid to help former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s friend Bobby Ferguson win a contract.
—Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
The loss to the Predators included two empty-net goals, which inflated the score, but Bednar went off a bit on his team afterwards.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Prices don’t feel over-inflated like most minibars.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflated
Adjective
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Distilling the truth from the limited number of documents created by Friend and the often exaggerated or distorted tales recorded by others can be challenging.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026
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Cue the ’80s, a decade defined by exaggerated silhouettes, statement washes, and hybrid designs.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That figure is used to determine the league’s cut, which for all local TV deals has since increased from 34% to 48%.—
Maury Brown,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, the average new car payment has increased by $300, or more than 35%, since then to $769.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The result isn’t replaced judgment, but accelerated insight.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Brussels has accelerated its outreach to markets around the world.—
Rajesh Roy,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But its purpose has since expanded to tackle conflicts the world over, and the charter draft, which was sent along with the invitations to join, does not even reference Gaza.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 2026
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Moreover, and perhaps more crucial to the reevaluation of the stock’s rating, Riot has significantly expanded its growth narrative beyond just cryptocurrency.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After the 2021 coup, much of that investment was withdrawn, inflation ballooned, and the country’s currency, the kyat, collapsed.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
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But interest ballooned, with early, rarer cards attracting particular fervor.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Vance's comments come as outrage swelled over Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents taking into custody four students under the age of 18 in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
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OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit AI lab in 2015, and its valuation has swelled to $500 billion since the launch of its ChatGPT chatbot in 2022.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The fragile skeleton of her ego threatened to snap under the pressure of the animal forces that pressed down on her consciousness, her narrative mind sagging and distended beneath pitiless and grandiose feeling.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
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In the last 20 days, their belly will appear distended, and their nipples and breast tissue will be noticeably swollen.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Eagle numbers rose significantly first in the 1990s, then continued to increase.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Alcoholic Sparkling Wines For Valentine’s Day Do Epic Sh*t sparkling wine now comes in a 'pretty in pink' rose as well, available at the end of January 2026.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inflated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflated. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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