1
as in collapses
to become smaller in size or volume due to loss of contents
We kept her birthday decorations up until the balloons started deflating.
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2
as in empties
to make smaller in size or volume by removing the contents
Please deflate the air mattress and fold it up before you leave.
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3
as in reduces
to make or become lower in amount or value
The excess supply deflated prices. The company's stock has deflated.
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4
as in undermines
to cause to lose force or effectiveness
Her cutting remark deflated his ego. The lawsuit deflated their hopes for a quick resolution.
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Recent Examples of deflates
That determination is sent back to the device, which inflates or deflates balloons with air to assist in raising or lowering the arm.
—
Mack Degeurin Aug 21, Popular Science, 21 Aug. 2025
Mack Degeurin Aug 21, Popular Science, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflates
Verb
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This complex and emotionally charged process, driven by a maze of legacy systems and human bottlenecks, collapses precisely when people need it most.—
Anant Agarwal,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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As Stahl said, anytime there’s a reckless driver, the emergency pipeline collapses and knocks out water flow to the entire area.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Each bottling of Gorovka, cut to 55% ABV, only partially empties the puncheon after which the barrel is topped up with fresh spirit.—
Don Tse,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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The boat ramp, which also serves as a fishing pier, sits close to a part of the river that empties out into the Long Island Sound.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This not only reinforces clarity, but also reduces the reliance on employees having to scribble notes word for word to decode later.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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But prorating three years of player profits down to 12 months, as UEFA’s rule does, reduces the immediate efficacy of successful trading in the market, the very strategy that poorer clubs increasingly rely on to climb the ladder.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Cherry-picking statistics to suit a narrative — a form of confirmation bias, as described in the commission’s view — is dangerous and undermines the diligence that should come from responsible statistical analysis.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Going back further undermines those comparisons.—
John S. Tobey,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York and beyond—where the trio uncovers a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters, and the mysterious residents of the Arconia.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Sep. 2025
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That adventure takes them away from NCIS headquarters to Europe, where the series plunges Tony and Ziva into a world of international intrigue and espionage, delivering both closure and a fresh start for the franchise's iconic characters.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Bottom line—moving Space Command headquarters weakens our national security at the worst possible time.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
3 Sep. 2025
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If employees rely on tools only for quick answers, curiosity weakens.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Though Good Boy gets by for a while on the strength of its performances and the sheer oddness of its plot, the flimsiness of its characters drains the film of energy long before its 110 minutes are up.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Holding onto declining practices drains resources from future growth.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling rebuked a Northwest Side alderman who expressed skepticism this week about Chicago’s year-over-year crime declines as the city girds itself ahead of a possible deployment of National Guard troops.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
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Creativity declines because there is no space for deep thinking.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deflates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflates. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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