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
The Max Road Fire in the Everglades has ballooned to over 11,000 acres burned in South Florida.
—
Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Roanoke, Virginia, is one of those rare mountain destinations that has everything—an airport, a buzzy arts and culture scene, new boutique hotels, and a pedestrian-friendly greenway, all paired with a real estate market that has yet to balloon as much as other Blue Ridge areas.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
The project’s vast ambitions have already accrued about five years of delay, and, all told, its price to taxpayers has ballooned to nearly $5 billion.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 May 2026
Over the past decade, homelessness has skyrocketed by 40 percent, even as homelessness spending has ballooned.
—Christopher Calton, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Roanoke, Virginia, is one of those rare mountain destinations that has everything—an airport, a buzzy arts and culture scene, new boutique hotels, and a pedestrian-friendly greenway, all paired with a real estate market that has yet to balloon as much as other Blue Ridge areas.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
The project’s vast ambitions have already accrued about five years of delay, and, all told, its price to taxpayers has ballooned to nearly $5 billion.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 May 2026
Over the past decade, homelessness has skyrocketed by 40 percent, even as homelessness spending has ballooned.
—Christopher Calton, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloon
Verb
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Salah’s comments followed a limp 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa on Friday that increased criticism of Slot and questions about his future in the job.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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In Los Angeles, for example, the city spent more than 50 million dollars in 2021 on policing homelessness, yet unsheltered homelessness still increased.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Under the flaps of his jacket there was a small tear in his T-shirt, directly over his left nipple, which protruded like a knot of purple rope.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
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And in turn, the 867-foot monolith protruding from the surrounding Wyoming prairie like the stump of the world’s largest tree became a big draw for tourists.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Verb
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As tensions rise between the United States and China over trade, technology, Taiwan and military influence, the relationship between the world’s two largest economies is increasingly shaping global politics and national security debates.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
15 May 2026
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The national debt has surpassed the GDP, Social Security and Medicare face looming financial crises, inflation is rising, families are struggling — and yet Congress does nothing.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Aggressive bears are known to stalk, claw and even bite tourists in Great Smoky National Park, but rangers say one recent encounter involved a bear poking a hiker with its big wet nose.—
Mark Price
May 12,
Charlotte Observer,
12 May 2026
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Many curious passersby poked their heads inside, wondering if the restaurant was serving food again.—
Iris Kwok
May 12,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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As the teen continued to deteriorate, his right arm began to swell two or three times more than his left, and his wound began leaking fluid.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
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During the expedition’s first ten days, the ship navigated a strong storm, with ocean swells reaching two to three metres.—
Akash Kapur,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Her stomach bulged beneath her I ❤ FLORIDA boatneck and her face was round and waxy-pale.—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
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But if the gland expands or droops, which is common with age, a portion of it can escape those confines, bulging out below the jawbone and appearing as a lump in the neck.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
14 May 2026
Verb
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China's economy appeared to be starting the year on a strong note, with GDP growth accelerating to 5% in the first quarter.—
Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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Their hand is also forced by climate change, war and the accelerating rush for timber and minerals.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
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There are numerous suites in the mix that expand upon the space, and anyone booking an executive category room enjoys access to the 25th-floor club lounge.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
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Together, the movements reflected an apparent effort to insulate some of Iran's remaining military and aviation assets from the expanding conflict, even as officials publicly served as brokers for de-escalation.—
James LaPorta,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloon. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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