1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
the paper bag ballooned and blew away as the wind lifted it skyward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of balloon
That's when Kraft ballooned to include Nabisco, Jell-O, Maxwell House and hot-dog maker Oscar Mayer.
—
Alina Selyukh, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
Total rides through the program have ballooned over the past few years — from 21,823 in 2023 to 295,261 in the last fiscal year.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Sep. 2025
Rising mortgage rates have further burdened buyers, with monthly payments ballooning beyond reach for many.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
As Bowyer continued to increase Mizuhara’s credit line, the interpreter’s debt quickly ballooned into the millions, paid down via installments in the form of six-figure wires bearing Ohtani’s name.
—David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Alina Selyukh, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
Total rides through the program have ballooned over the past few years — from 21,823 in 2023 to 295,261 in the last fiscal year.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Sep. 2025
Rising mortgage rates have further burdened buyers, with monthly payments ballooning beyond reach for many.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
As Bowyer continued to increase Mizuhara’s credit line, the interpreter’s debt quickly ballooned into the millions, paid down via installments in the form of six-figure wires bearing Ohtani’s name.
—David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloon
Verb
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Federal Supplement Security Income payments would increase for January but those payments would be made at the end of December.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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But there is really no reason why this should be the case for Pilates—which consists of different low-impact movements to strengthen your core muscles, increase your flexibility, improve your posture and give you more awareness of your body in general.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The display bezels are super thin at the top and on both sides, with Lenovo’s protruding upper-edge notch housing the webcam and other electronics.—
Mark Coppock,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
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That is followed by a tabletop planetarium featuring images of planets beamed onto moving objects which magically protrude from it.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Colorado River and the two reservoirs have been suffering because of a multidecade drought in the West intensified by climate change, rising demand and overuse.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Stellarium Venus Begins To Fade September sees Venus rise closer to sunrise.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stars not just in front of, but within the dusty nebula, poke through all but the densest gas.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
8 Sep. 2025
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In July 2024, Thompson's daughter Gaia shared a cheeky post on her Instagram Stories poking fun at 2023's Barbie movie's tagline — and Thompson's ex, Kenneth Branagh.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That swell at Mavericks, a half mile off the coast of Half Moon Bay, hit two days before Christmas, on the same day and amid the same storm that destroyed the Santa Cruz Wharf.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
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As guests swelled outside the dining room, Chow and Osbourne led the lively room in a toast to New York and invitation to continue on to the comedy show.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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De Meo has been tasked with engineering a speedy turnaround for Kering, which has been dragged down by steep declines at its star brand Gucci and a bulging debt load.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
9 Sep. 2025
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To be a real man, according to this content, young adolescent boys are expected to be tall and broad-shouldered with bulging biceps, pronounced trapezius muscles, and washboard abs.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Department of War created a new task force in August to accelerate counter-drone development.—
Joseph Nepomuceno,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
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The nanophotonic device could accelerate advances in communications, precision measurement, and even environmental monitoring.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Unrivaled Experiences Growth Spurt Unrivaled will expand ahead of its second season with the addition of two new clubs and a development player pool, the league announced Wednesday.—
Roberta F. Rodrigues,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The panel issued over 100 recommendations, from limiting cash bail for misdemeanors to expanding racial equity training for prosecutors.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloon. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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