as in expanded
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1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of ballooned
Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
By the time Ejiofor got to the line and split a pair of free throws, the lead had ballooned to 31-11 with six minutes left in the half.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2026
The lead shrunk to six in the third quarter, before another 14-3 run ballooned it to as much as 19.
—ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
Flaherty got connected to a few families months ago, and her network has only ballooned since the surge.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
That estimate ballooned to at least $9 billion just a week later when Thompson announced another round of criminal charges in Medicaid fraud cases.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 23 Feb. 2026
The margin ballooned to 15 early before Dutcher made some halftime offensive adjustments that led to a 49-point second half.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
The Timberwolves started 8 of 13 from 3-point range, posted a 40-point first quarter and ballooned their lead to 17 points late in the second quarter before a lackadaisical start to the second half.
—CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
But when the Federal Reserve aggressively increased interest rates in 2022 and 2023, the cost of GVA’s loans ballooned, eating up cash flow at the properties.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
Block ballooned from about 4,000 employees in 2019 to nearly 13,000 during the pandemic, a fact that was cited by skeptics across social media after the cuts were announced.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
By the time Ejiofor got to the line and split a pair of free throws, the lead had ballooned to 31-11 with six minutes left in the half.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2026
The lead shrunk to six in the third quarter, before another 14-3 run ballooned it to as much as 19.
—ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
Flaherty got connected to a few families months ago, and her network has only ballooned since the surge.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
That estimate ballooned to at least $9 billion just a week later when Thompson announced another round of criminal charges in Medicaid fraud cases.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 23 Feb. 2026
The margin ballooned to 15 early before Dutcher made some halftime offensive adjustments that led to a 49-point second half.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
The Timberwolves started 8 of 13 from 3-point range, posted a 40-point first quarter and ballooned their lead to 17 points late in the second quarter before a lackadaisical start to the second half.
—CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
But when the Federal Reserve aggressively increased interest rates in 2022 and 2023, the cost of GVA’s loans ballooned, eating up cash flow at the properties.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballooned
Verb
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The spline structure inside the nuts, the non-fixed gripping posture, and interference from magnetic forces significantly increased assembly complexity.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
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Church officials also said its security measures have been increased during the transitional period.—
Elissa Jorgensen,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Big, waxy flowers called lobster claws protruded from thick stalks.—
Betsy Andrews,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
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However, blood was pouring out of Good’s left ear immediately after the shooting, and tissue protruded from the left side of her head, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported last week.—
Theresa Braine,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The doctor noticed the lymph nodes in Operacz's groin were swollen and sent her to the emergency room.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
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Fluid accumulated in his body, pushing his weight close to 240 pounds and leaving him exhausted and swollen.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Many of the companies that are cutting hordes of jobs – and blaming it on AI – had swelled in size during the pandemic years, when tech companies were meeting demand for online services.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
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Late in the second quarter the lead swelled to 34-18.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Later in the week, as other analysts poked holes in the Citrini scenario, the market recovered some of its losses.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
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Second baseman Ethan Mendoza looks like a completely different player, so much so that teammates have poked fun at him in interviews.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Yet oil prices rose just 6% Monday, and gas prices aren’t expected to get close to $5 a gallon anytime soon.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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Defense and energy stocks in New York rose while shares in travel companies plunged.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Taking new measurements, the researchers saw that as fluid gushed between cells, creating indentations in their cell membranes, bubbles mostly bulged into weaker cells.—
Clare Watson,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Feb. 2026
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The surrounding metropolitan area has similarly bulged.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The distended episodes were littered with what feels like filler, little of which offered much in the way of narrative value.—
Emma Flint,
IndieWire,
25 Nov. 2025
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Once per act, a second duo crashes in on Didi and Gogo, providing the tramps’ power balance with a lurid, distended foil.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ballooned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballooned. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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