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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
3
as in declining
to make or become lower in amount or value
The excess supply deflated prices. The company's stock has deflated.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 deflating
Such developments can be deflating.
—
Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The Giants are coming off a deflating loss to the Denver Broncos, and are 1-2 in their last three outings.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
So why does the sight of her, bottle-blonde and clad in a green dress that screams vintage Dream Factory glitz, still give off such deflating Jenny-from-the-block vibes?
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
This is a bit deflating after where things stood in June.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Best knows numbers like that can feel deflating, since most filmmakers are neither global speakers nor hot young comedians.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Try to get underneath dough to pick portions up without deflating them.
—Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025
Simoncic was one of two officers deploying tire-deflating devices in the 7200 block of State Avenue when Mitchell swerved, intentionally striking Simoncic, police Chief Karl Oakman previously told reporters.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
The cost of homes has been slowing deflating after the COVID-19 pandemic drove rates sky high.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 2 Sep. 2025
Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The Giants are coming off a deflating loss to the Denver Broncos, and are 1-2 in their last three outings.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
So why does the sight of her, bottle-blonde and clad in a green dress that screams vintage Dream Factory glitz, still give off such deflating Jenny-from-the-block vibes?
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
This is a bit deflating after where things stood in June.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Best knows numbers like that can feel deflating, since most filmmakers are neither global speakers nor hot young comedians.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Try to get underneath dough to pick portions up without deflating them.
—Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025
Simoncic was one of two officers deploying tire-deflating devices in the 7200 block of State Avenue when Mitchell swerved, intentionally striking Simoncic, police Chief Karl Oakman previously told reporters.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
The cost of homes has been slowing deflating after the COVID-19 pandemic drove rates sky high.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflating
Verb
-
We’re used to seeing Survivor players doubling over or collapsing after an exhausting challenge in intense heat.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
-
But those assumptions are collapsing under the weight of new realities.—
Klaus Schwab,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Churches are emptying out across the country, despite an uptick in membership in recent years.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The Heat used Fontecchio, Jaquez, Jovic and Smith off the bench to complete its nine-man rotation against the Grizzlies before emptying its bench late in the rout.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The documents contained details of disciplinary action and indicated that Sherrill was prohibited from participating in her 1994 graduation ceremony after declining to identify classmates implicated in a cheating incident.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The country’s bear population is increasing, perhaps because the human population is declining and abandoning rural settlements.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As a result, parents who schedule vacations during the school year often find themselves at odds with both attendance policies and administrators like Johnson, who see such decisions as undermining classroom continuity and accountability.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The Curse builds a complex internal mythology using clips from fake reality TV series and faux newscasts, steadily undermining the viewer's sense of reality by combining sinister figures from Japanese folklore with an overwhelming sense of impending doom.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Amelia Gray was, fittingly, dripping in crystal for the Swarovski Masters of Light celebration in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Hadid's looks for the night included a lace lingerie piece dripping in silver fringe and a red hot satin bra with a matching garter and underwear, along with a floor-sweeping robe.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the moments before Murphy’s goal, Jarrod Bowen had struck the right post, but the sense of hope draining from West Ham’s ground was lost on Howe’s players.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
According to the GoFundMe, which was started by Wall, Leo is facing a long recovery and currently has a tube draining saliva.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
According to the current lawsuit, Fletcher has not paid his half of the minimum $1,500 per month restitution for the existing settlement, but his ex-wife has paid her portion, reducing the restitution balance to just under $56,000.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Nov. 2025
-
These are all part of standard advice for good sleep hygiene, which also includes reducing screen use before bed and creating a regular evening routine, like reading or listening to calming music.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Ocean acidification is weakening the teeth of sharks.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The free-trade agenda sought to deregulate the labor market and prioritize market efficiency, strengthening the hands of employers and severely weakening union and social movements, as anti-free traders had predicted.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deflating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflating. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share