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
Ron Winslow2
: the outline enclosing words spoken or thought by a figure especially in a cartoon
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
INC
ballooned; ballooning; balloons
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
Michelle CottleBut 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
David NiceExamples 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
Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Liverpool — the city and the club — has been smothered by sorrow since Jota’s death, Anfield serving as a makeshift shrine for the thousands of mourners who came to pay their respects with floral bouquets, No 20 balloons, a heartfelt note or just by standing in quiet reflection.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 July 2025
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
Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
The change would add to the U.S.’s already ballooning deficit and mostly benefit rich Americans, analysts said.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
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Noun
Professional and amateur photographers worldwide were invited to enter the competition capturing breathtaking and mostly never-before-seen views using modern drones equipped with high-resolution sensors or more traditional modes of transport such as planes, helicopters and even balloons.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Liverpool — the city and the club — has been smothered by sorrow since Jota’s death, Anfield serving as a makeshift shrine for the thousands of mourners who came to pay their respects with floral bouquets, No 20 balloons, a heartfelt note or just by standing in quiet reflection.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 July 2025
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
Garcia, his disheveled hair increasingly gray, ballooned in weight and often lost a beat.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
The change would add to the U.S.’s already ballooning deficit and mostly benefit rich Americans, analysts said.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Cite this Entry
“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balloon. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
balloon
1 of 2 noun
bal·loon
bə-ˈlün 
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 verb1
: 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
: 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
: to swell or puff out
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