balloon

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noun bal·loon \ bə-ˈlün \

Definition of balloon

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

2 :the outline enclosing words spoken or thought by a figure especially in a cartoon

— 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

See balloon defined for English-language learners

See balloon defined for kids

Examples of balloon in a Sentence

I blew up a balloon but then it burst.
brightly colored balloons and other party decorations

Recent Examples of balloon from the Web

There will also be jugglers, stilt walkers, balloon artists and a magician from the Cincinnati Family Circus walking around the festival entertaining the crowd.

— jennie key, Cincinnati.com, "SharonFest 2017, the party with a purpose, kicks off July 28," 20 July 2017
The balloon technique has shown several advantages over the conventional method, Steffensen says.

— eli kintisch, Science | AAAS, "Massive balloons help polar scientists build underground tunnels," 13 July 2017
Those simple machines are lever, wheel, pulley, inclined plane and screw — all made out of balloons.

— myrna petlicki, chicagotribune.com, "Balloons become machines at Smarty Pants show," 6 July 2017
Ahhh! Orange County's 10WAVY reports that17 people were in the hot air balloon's basket when some unexpected wind swept them off course from their landing and dumped them in the water.

— laura beck, Cosmopolitan, "This Footage of a Hot Air Balloon Crash Landing in a Lake Near Disney World Is Upsetting," 4 July 2017
People could also take tours of the historic Hays House, check out the water-balloon toss, costume contest, Uncle Sam Says and watermelon eating competition, all at Shamrock Park, plus the annual bicycle rodeo at Bel Air Elementary School.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Visitors enjoy family-friendly events at Bel Air Fourth of July," 4 July 2017
WHAT: South Pasadena kicks off Independence Day with a pancake breakfast at the fire station at 7:00 a.m. (Tickets are $8/person, kids under 6 eat free), followed by the 36th annual balloon parade.

— lisa beebe, Los Angeles Magazine, "Best 4th of July Fireworks Shows in Los Angeles: 2017," 29 June 2017
Candy art, balloon artists, gourmet food trucks and more.

— denise harris and courtney ortega, star-telegram.com, "Fireworks and the Fourth: Where to celebrate in North Texas," 29 June 2017
Khloé’s name was spelled out in gold and white balloons that glowed.

— peggy truong, Cosmopolitan, "Everything That Happened at Khloé Kardashian’s Surprise Birthday Party," 26 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'balloon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of balloon

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1685

See Words from the same year

Other Aeronautics/Aerospace Terms

airway, apron, corridor, dirigible, fishtail, flat-hat, vector

balloon

adjective

Definition of balloon

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

First Known Use of balloon

1784

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

balloon

verb

Definition of balloon

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

transitive verb

:inflate, increase

See balloon defined for English-language learners

Examples of balloon in a Sentence

Their credit card debt ballooned to more than $5,000.
the ballooning costs of education

Recent Examples of balloon from the Web

That number is expected to balloon to more than 120,000 in five years.

— Washington Post, "Massive graft probe in Brazil powers electronic bracelets," 25 Aug. 2017
That number is expected to balloon to more than 120,000 in five years.

— Washington Post, "Massive graft probe in Brazil powers electronic bracelets," 25 Aug. 2017
That number is expected to balloon to more than 120,000 in five years.

— mauricio savarese, The Seattle Times, "Massive graft probe in Brazil powers electronic bracelets," 24 Aug. 2017
As the world’s population continues to balloon and environmental changes endanger global food supplies, resilient cows offer numerous advantages.

— linni kral, The Atlantic, "The Fight for America's Disappearing Ancient Dairy Cows," 22 Aug. 2017
His original idea was to write a trilogy (which ballooned into, hopefully, a seven-volume epic), and early ideas like a stormy love triangle between Arya Stark, Jon Snow, and Tyrion Lannister seem absolutely laughable now.

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "Game of Thrones: The Explosive New Conflict Hiding in George R.R. Martin’s Original Outline," 8 Aug. 2017
Bodies pressed together – in the bleachers which was capacity, on the sidelines were cameras and reporters studied each move and on the sidelines where the 53-man roster of the regular season had ballooned to 90.

— dan woike, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Chargers open training camp in Costa Mesa," 30 July 2017
Remember back when the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge was making internet waves and bloggers everywhere were busy puffing their lips up to balloon-like proportions with repurposed shot glasses?

— emily dudding, Harper's BAZAAR, "How To Get Bigger Lips," 26 July 2017
The garment: a shiny, onyx bodysuit, ballooning a dark-skinned, full-figured black woman.

— alisha acquaye, Teen Vogue, "Missy Elliott Taught Me That I Can Be Weird and Beautiful," 10 July 2017

First Known Use of balloon

1784

balloon Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

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

Related Words

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

Near Antonyms

compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

BALLOON Defined for English Language Learners

balloon

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noun

Definition of balloon for English Language Learners

: a thin usually rubber bag that becomes larger when it is filled with air or gas
: a picture or space in a cartoon that contains words that are spoken or thought by a character

balloon

verb

Definition of balloon for English Language Learners

: to become bigger quickly

BALLOON Defined for Kids

balloon

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noun bal·loon \ bə-ˈlün \

Definition of balloon for Students

1 :a bag that rises and floats above the ground when filled with heated air or with a gas that is lighter than air

2 :a toy or decoration consisting of a rubber bag that can be blown up with air or gas

3 :an outline containing words spoken or thought by a character (as in a cartoon)

balloon

verb

Definition of balloon for Students

ballooned; ballooning

:to swell or puff out

Medical Dictionary

balloon

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noun bal·loon \ bə-ˈlün \

medical Definition of balloon

: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

transitive verb

medical Definition of balloon

:to inflate or distend like a balloon

intransitive verb

:to swell or puff out

Law Dictionary

balloon

adjective bal·loon

legal Definition of balloon

: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.