grade inflation

noun

: a rise in the average grade assigned to students

especially : the assigning of grades higher than previously assigned for given levels of achievement

Examples of grade inflation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Gaza protests had been galvanizing for Republicans, who, even before October 7th, had viewed universities as captured by radical thinking on race and politics, rife with grade inflation, and intolerant of conservatives. —Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

Their 20 recommendations match what many critics have echoed for years, suggesting everything from tamping down on grade inflation to addressing opaque admissions standards. —Jake Angelo, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026

Harvard University is proposing to limit the number of top grades awarded to undergraduate students, responding to concerns that grade inflation may weaken the meaning of a degree from the school. —Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026

This has set off a new round of hand-wringing about grade inflation. —Mitch Zimmer, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for grade inflation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration