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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

And that uncertainty has ballooned into a crisis of its own, which has only intensified after a rapid series of announcements from the Food and Drug Administration. — Allie Canal, NBC news, 24 July 2026 The trio found that as the disk variations ballooned, the ability to isolate a unique matrix weakened. — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 24 July 2026 Property values increased by 60% in Miami-Dade in the half decade since 2019, and property taxes ballooned by almost 50% over the same period, according to real estate analytics firm Cotality. — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026 The price tag has since ballooned to over $14 million, and more than two weeks after Independence Day, the pool is empty and fenced off from the public. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 22 July 2026 But over the next 18 months, Poolside largely disappeared from view, while OpenAI and Anthropic ballooned to nearly trillion-dollar valuations with a crop of Chinese labs building open source models nipping at their heels. — Iain Martin, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 More than 1 in 17 new California home loans are being written using the state’s insurer of last resort — the California FAIR Plan, which has ballooned in growth in recent years. — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 21 July 2026 The tournament’s duration, though, had ballooned to 39 days, a decision that has been routinely criticised by players’ unions. — Colin Millar, New York Times, 21 July 2026 Medicare has covered remote patient monitoring since 2018, and payments ballooned to over $500 million in 2024. — Mario Aguilar, STAT, 15 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballooned

Adjective

With their swollen, flaring buttresses and soaring heights of 80 feet or more, the trees are awe-inspiring when reflected in the dark water.

— Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
Cubital tunnel syndrome occurs when the ulnar nerve, which passes through a tunnel on the inside of the elbow, becomes inflamed, swollen and irritated, Johns Hopkins explains.

— Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026

Definition of swollen

Verb

Gas prices edged over $4 a gallon in Broward County and increased by 11 cents across the country compared to the same time last week.

— Miami Herald Staff Report, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
Since the inclusion of major studios and companies, the popular convention’s roster of talent has only increased, becoming part of mainstream Hollywood events.

— Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 27 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

Since 2024, the body’s ranks have swelled to include a number of podcasters, Substackers, and other independent creators, along with right-wing outfits such as Turning Point USA, Breitbart, and Newsmax.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
In the following days, Beretti’s right knee swelled severely, according to her health department complaint.

— Ella Moore July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026

Definition of swelled

Verb

Before McDaniel’s first NFL game, one Vikings defender aggressively poked his left eye in practice.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026
It’s now understood that Russia in 2016 poked the election systems in all 50 states to check what protections were in place and accessed—but did not change—some very local registration rosters in Florida and Illinois.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 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 positivity rate rose to 21% among employees who underwent random hair testing, according to the company’s annual Drug Testing Index.

— A.J. Herrington, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Shares in chipmakers Samsung and TSMC in particular saw big gains from comparative lows, as investors bet that semiconductor demand would continue; tech-heavy benchmarks in South Korea, Taiwan, and China all rose.

— Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of rose

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“Ballooned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballooned. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ballooned

adjective

verb

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