BALLOONED Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

ballooned 1 of 2

adjective

as in expanded

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ballooned

2 of 2

verb

past tense of balloon

as in increased

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in protruded

to extend outward beyond a usual point the paper bag ballooned and blew away as the wind lifted it skyward

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ballooned

Verb

Our top line grew exponentially, but our cost to support and maintain that customer also ballooned. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 The city’s population has ballooned by 30% over the last five years to more than 30,000 residents, and city officials aren’t expecting that growth to slow down. — Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2026 Those petitions ballooned after the administration began limiting the ability of many immigrants to seek release through bond hearings in immigration court. — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 Adventure bikes have ballooned into 600-pound continent crushers. — New Atlas, 6 July 2026 Stephanopoulos pressed Burgum on why the cost of the no-bid contract has ballooned from $2 million to more than $15 million, while the pool still isn’t fixed. — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 5 July 2026 However, electrification has quietly ballooned into a juggernaut with a $42 billion backlog, up from just $9 billion at the end of 2022. — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 July 2026 New York spending on these adult daycares ballooned in recent years, with the bill to taxpayers nearly quadrupling from 2018 to 2024. — Laura Geller, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Anti-immigrant sentiment has ballooned as protest groups without evidence blame migrants for the country’s economic woes. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 28 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballooned

Adjective

While premium seats offer more room to stretch out, long periods of sitting can still leave your feet and ankles feeling swollen, especially on international flights.

— Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
The two-way star, who turns 32 on Sunday, spoke Friday night with a heavy bandage on his swollen left knee to go with his usual ice wrap around his pitching arm.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of swollen

Verb

And Harleys has entirely redesigned the rear -suspension and increased its travel 117 per cent to five inches (13 cm).

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
The share of workers with hybrid schedules has increased a bit, while the share in fully remote positions has only seen a slight decline.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 July 2026

Definition of increased

Verb

The skinny braids wrapped the bottom of the bun, while the thicker braids dressed the top, forming a cylinder shape that protruded from the crown of her head.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
The problem was that many of them protruded from the front of vehicles like miniature medieval weapons.

— Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Definition of protruded

Verb

Dozens of people have been rescued from catastrophic flooding in southeastern Missouri, including some camping along a river that swelled to historic heights.

— Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
After soaking in the salad for a while, the raisins plumped and swelled, adding a yielding explosivity.

— Cooking Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of swelled

Verb

After a scrappy passage of play in which Morocco failed to clear their lines, Desire Doue poked a loose ball to Mbappe on the left edge of the area.

— Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 July 2026
But Ecuador’s Gonzalo Plata stuck up his left foot, just in front of Neuer, and poked the ball into the net.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 27 June 2026

Definition of poked

Adjective

Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer, checking occasionally to make sure water isn’t boiling too rapidly, until matzo balls are very puffed and light in color, 30–40 minutes.

— Molly Baz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
Bake, 1 baking sheet at a time, in preheated oven until slightly puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

— Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026

Definition of puffed

Verb

The Straits Times Index rose more than 23% from April 2025 to March 2026, powered by the Equity Market Development Programme announced by the country’s monetary authority to unlock greater value in stocks.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 8 July 2026
The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil rose to nearly $76 after the administration revoked Iran's oil license, a nearly 6% increase.

— Zac Anderson, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Definition of rose

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“Ballooned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballooned. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ballooned

adjective

verb

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