balloon

1 of 3

noun

bal·​loon bə-ˈlün How to pronounce balloon (audio)
plural balloons
1
: a nonporous bag of light material that can be inflated especially with air or gas: such as
a
: a bag that is filled with heated air or a gas lighter than air so as to rise and float in the atmosphere and that usually carries a suspended load (such as a gondola with passengers)
b
: an inflatable bag (as of rubber or plastic) usually used as a toy or for decoration
c
medical : a small bag that can be inflated (as in a bodily cavity) with air or gas
More than 700,000 Americans undergo procedures in which clogged arteries are cleared out with a balloon and then propped open with a tiny metal scaffold called a stent.Ron Winslow
2
: the outline enclosing words spoken or thought by a figure especially in a cartoon

balloon

2 of 3

adjective

1
: relating to, resembling, or suggesting a balloon
a balloon sleeve
2
US : having or being a final installment that is much larger than preceding ones in a term or installment note
a balloon note
a balloon mortgage
Got a commercial mortgage coming due? If the loan requires a balloon payment (as many such mortgages do), you may have a hard time refinancing …INC

balloon

3 of 3

verb

ballooned; ballooning; balloons

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
Phrases
go over like a lead balloon (US) or British go down like a lead balloon
informal
: to fail completely to impress or amuse other people
Not surprisingly, his overt religiosity has proved a mixed blessing. While probably a winner on the stump, it has gone over like a lead balloon with journalists, liberals, and even many Jewish organizations.Michelle Cottle
But the last time I saw it on stage, in Ned Sherrin's 1996 revival, the dialogue bored me rigid and the whole thing … went down like a lead balloon.David Nice

Examples of balloon in a Sentence

Noun I blew up a balloon but then it burst. brightly colored balloons and other party decorations Verb Their credit card debt ballooned to more than $5,000. the ballooning costs of education
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Now, the woman who was once happy to let her husband lead chases the adventures herself: Hot air balloon rides over the Maasai Mara in Kenya, zip lining through a St. Lucia rainforest, and meditating with a Buddhist monk in South Korea, among them. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024 But in the absence of conclusions, conspiracy theories have flourished, even as scientists and independent investigators made the case that optical illusions, weather phenomena, scientific balloons or drones were reasonable causes of nearly all of the unexplained incidents. Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Munn could be seen posing with her son next to a blue blow-up birthday balloon while standing in front of a set table. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 When designing balloon sleeves and ruffled collars for Bella, costume designer Holly Waddington drew on the 1960s space-age fashion of Paco Rabanne, Pierre Cardin, and André Courrèges, while Bella’s white Victorian boots featured a toe cutout partially inspired by Courrèges futuristic aesthetic. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 Key Facts While not much is yet known about the balloon, officials told CBS it was spotted by military aircraft over Colorado Friday morning. Brian Bushard, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Sharing a similar video on her Instagram Story, the makeup mogul dragged a large bag of balloons up the same staircase and giggled as the decorations got stuck. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 When key trading powers in the world economy such as the U.S. start picking off bilateral FTAs with countries as important as Kenya, that only serves to deflate the balloon for the AfCFTA—which is the single most important economic policy investment objective that the US should champion for Africa. Harry G. Broadman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 In the center of the dining area, a clown sculpture dangles from a cluster of colorful faux balloons attached to the ceiling. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024
Adjective
President Joe Biden delivered remarks about the objects Thursday, downplaying the possibility that the non-balloon objects shot down might also be tied to surveillance efforts. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 18 Feb. 2023 Such releases have been banned in a handful of states and cities, according to the anti-balloon release organization called Balloons Blow. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Apr. 2022
Verb
Proponents say the change will safeguard city resources against a street drug culture that’s ballooned because of San Francisco’s lenient policies and generous benefits. Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 High inflation has made materials and labor costs far pricier, and ballooning mortgage rates have pumped the brakes on an already-slow sector. Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 Under this simulation, cases would balloon, with the model bathing the counties in red measles dots. Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 The Celtics’ advantage had ballooned to 44 points by the end of the first half, Boston’s largest halftime lead in franchise history. Sam Joseph, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Initially budgeted at $165 million, sources say that figure has ballooned to something closer to $310 million. Samuel Braslow, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024 Global supplies of the metal—which has become key to the energy transition due to its use in electrification and batteries—ballooned after Indonesia quickly ramped up production, causing benchmark prices to crater and the closure of at least six nickel projects in Australia in the past year. Paul-Alain Hunt, Fortune Asia, 20 Feb. 2024 But in recent years, as the country’s young population has ballooned to around half its electorate, there has been a growing frustration with that system, analysts say. Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 The number of people sheltering in Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip, has ballooned from less than 300,000 to more than 1.4 million. Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'balloon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French ballon large football, balloon, from Italian dialect ballone large football, augmentative of balla ball, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German balla ball — more at ball

First Known Use

Noun

1783, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1784, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1784, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of balloon was in 1783

Dictionary Entries Near balloon

Cite this Entry

“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balloon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

balloon

1 of 2 noun
bal·​loon bə-ˈlün How to pronounce balloon (audio)
1
: a bag of tough light material filled with heated gas or a gas lighter than air so as to rise and float in the atmosphere and that usually carries a suspended load (as a gondola with passengers)
2
: a toy or decoration consisting of an inflatable bag (as of rubber)
3
: an outline containing words spoken or thought by a character (as in a cartoon)

balloon

2 of 2 verb
1
: to go up or travel in a balloon
2
: to swell or puff out
3
: to increase rapidly
ballooning prices

Medical Definition

balloon

1 of 2 noun
bal·​loon bə-ˈlün How to pronounce balloon (audio)
: a nonporous bag of tough light material that can be inflated (as in a bodily cavity) with air or gas
gastroesophageal tamponade by introduction of a balloon into the stomach

balloon

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to inflate or distend like a balloon

intransitive verb

: to swell or puff out

Legal Definition

balloon

adjective
bal·​loon
: being or having a final installment that is much larger than preceding ones in an installment or term loan
a balloon payment

Note: In contrast to an amortized loan, a balloon loan is generally repaid in periodic payments of interest and a large, lump sum payment of principal at the end of the term.

More from Merriam-Webster on balloon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!