as in expanded
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
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
2
as in protruded
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
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
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Of course, financial markets in general have ballooned in size, making the record-setting dollar figures look less impressive in that context.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 June 2026
The program had ballooned during the Great Recession, growing from 28 million participants in 2008 to a peak of 47 million in 2014.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 19 June 2026
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that the price tag for the project has ballooned to $600 million, according to a project summary prepared by the contractor, with more than half of that funding coming from taxpayers.
—Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Those bonuses have ballooned to $16 billion this year — almost the entire budget of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an amount that has doubled since 2020.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 18 June 2026
These top 50 ZIPs started with an average 3,000 homes in 2014 and ballooned to 8,000 in just nine years.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 June 2026
But the porcine population has ballooned and now everyone’s up to their eyes in rampaging, marauding boars.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026
These things take time to fix, and as quickly as Russell’s gap ballooned around reliability misery, so too could Antonelli’s lead be wiped out.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Verb
However, construction costs have ballooned and delays are stretching into years and even decades.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Of course, financial markets in general have ballooned in size, making the record-setting dollar figures look less impressive in that context.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 June 2026
The program had ballooned during the Great Recession, growing from 28 million participants in 2008 to a peak of 47 million in 2014.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 19 June 2026
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that the price tag for the project has ballooned to $600 million, according to a project summary prepared by the contractor, with more than half of that funding coming from taxpayers.
—Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Those bonuses have ballooned to $16 billion this year — almost the entire budget of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an amount that has doubled since 2020.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 18 June 2026
These top 50 ZIPs started with an average 3,000 homes in 2014 and ballooned to 8,000 in just nine years.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 June 2026
But the porcine population has ballooned and now everyone’s up to their eyes in rampaging, marauding boars.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026
These things take time to fix, and as quickly as Russell’s gap ballooned around reliability misery, so too could Antonelli’s lead be wiped out.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballooned
Adjective
-
Topuria was a bloody and swollen mess by the time his corner stopped the fight between the fourth and fifth rounds.—
Chuck Schilken,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
So who’s going to publish a book at the end of this story of writers with swollen egos?—
Stephen Farber,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Rainbow flick The chances of seeing this skill — some might call it a circus act — being performed at the World Cup this summer increased significantly on the back of Neymar being named in the Brazil squad.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Economic output has also increased, up 24% over the same period, government data show.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The problem was that many of them protruded from the front of vehicles like miniature medieval weapons.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
In his right leg, Adin's tibia bone was broken in half and protruded through the skin.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fiber slows gastric emptying, making the stomach more distended.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
27 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Crowds around the Garden swelled past 10,000 people Wednesday night.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
The defensive sideline erupted, and Morrison’s chest swelled.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
The view was uncommonly broad, and the city skyline poked out of the eastern sky.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
-
Jo Adell poked a tying single through the infield moments later.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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
Verb
-
Two Canada geese and six gangly brown-suède goslings walked among the refuse, while in the near distance the truck horns and the protesters’ chants rose up.—
Ian Frazier,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
The deal comes after the Consumer Price Index in May rose to its highest level in more than three years, with energy prices accounting for more than 60% of the monthly inflation increase.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ballooned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballooned. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
