1
as in collapsing
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 emptying
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 declining
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 undermining
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 deflating
Kaegi in many respects simply was the messenger who got removed for being in a post directly related to property taxes when many Chicago homeowners got the bad news late last year that their taxes had soared due to the pandemic’s deflating effect on commercial property values.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
For those who are, the effect is more like sitting on a slowly deflating whoopee cushion soaked in arterial spray.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
The ingredient, a vasoconstrictor, tightens blood vessels beneath the eyes—in turn, deflating puffiness and tightening skin’s appearance.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 14 Mar. 2026
As the Dodge attempted to enter the highway, officers deployed stop sticks, deflating two of the vehicle’s tires.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
The Pico Pump is a teeny tiny air pump for inflating everything from sleeping pads to minnow boats – and deflating them in a flash too.
—New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2026
Analysts said that the Folgers owner is a winner from deflating coffee prices and that activist Elliott's stake in the company may lead to positive portfolio changes.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
To run it back at running back remains deflating.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
The criminal mania of cult leader and prolific psychedelic user Charles Manson, who murdered seven people in 1969, is often cited by researchers as an example of the worst possible outcome of psychedelic use untempered by an ego-deflating ritual process.
—Erica Rex, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
For those who are, the effect is more like sitting on a slowly deflating whoopee cushion soaked in arterial spray.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
The ingredient, a vasoconstrictor, tightens blood vessels beneath the eyes—in turn, deflating puffiness and tightening skin’s appearance.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 14 Mar. 2026
As the Dodge attempted to enter the highway, officers deployed stop sticks, deflating two of the vehicle’s tires.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
The Pico Pump is a teeny tiny air pump for inflating everything from sleeping pads to minnow boats – and deflating them in a flash too.
—New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2026
Analysts said that the Folgers owner is a winner from deflating coffee prices and that activist Elliott's stake in the company may lead to positive portfolio changes.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
To run it back at running back remains deflating.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
The criminal mania of cult leader and prolific psychedelic user Charles Manson, who murdered seven people in 1969, is often cited by researchers as an example of the worst possible outcome of psychedelic use untempered by an ego-deflating ritual process.
—Erica Rex, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflating
Verb
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Set in a collapsing Caracas, the film follows a woman who returns home after her mother’s funeral to find her apartment taken over by an armed militia.—
Adam Bell
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The industry was at risk of collapsing—until the physical chemist Fritz Haber, at the behest of the German Supreme Command, managed to take a common by-product of dye manufacture and weaponize it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Its All-in-One PowerDock automates maintenance by self-emptying dust for up to 100 days, washing mops with hot water, and refilling its own solution.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Korth said that the bake out was partially successful on Saturday, with Orion emptying out about half of its toilet tank.—
Tariq Malik,
Space.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Antarctic sea ice is declining at record rates, according to climate scientists.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The new listings, published Wednesday by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, cite factors such as warming ocean waters, melting sea ice and declining availability of food to sustain such species.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Common topics of health misinformation include false claims about vaccines, promoting remedies that are not supported by science and undermining scientific understanding about the causes of different health issues.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Experts say multinationals and foreign investors still want a share of India's consumption story — but the country's inability to create more white-collar jobs is undermining that narrative.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some of the women were bleeding from their reproductive organs, while others had blood dripping from slashes on their breasts, their bodies having been lacerated with a sharp instrument.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The king hosted a banquet for him in a hall dripping with flowers and gold leaf.—
Danica Kirka,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While attacks are currently focused on financial fraud and draining the accounts of victims, InfoBlox says the level of access these trojans offer would allow expansion into extortion, blackmail, and corporate breaches including ransomware attacks on companies.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
7 Apr. 2026
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If root rot may be an issue, repot the plant in fresh soil, and make sure to use a well-draining pot that will keep the soil from becoming too soggy in the future.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One bill focuses on reducing construction costs by updating building codes.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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While these methods remain effective, excessive tilling can break down soil aggregates into smaller particles, reducing soil health and increasing erosion risk.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Anthropic's showdown with the Pentagon this year left OpenAI looking like the bad guy, and just this week Bloomberg reported that demand is weakening for private shares of OpenAI in the secondary market.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But those safeguards appear to be weakening.—
Jennifer Elias,Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflating. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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