1
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number
Check that you have inflated your tires to the recommended pressure. Some sellers were inflating their prices by as much as 500 per cent.
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2
as in to accelerate
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
Airbags are designed to inflate automatically on impact.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inflate
Low rates later blamed for housing bubble Many economists say that those low rates helped inflate the housing bubble, encouraging investors to give mortgages to borrowers who would not previously have qualified for home loans.
—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Greenspan oversaw an economic boom Greenspan's gamble with low rates paid off, and the economy kept booming for a decade, although critics argue his easy-money policies also helped inflate the dot-com bubble and later fueled the subprime mortgage meltdown.
—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
22 June 2026
One group inflated a giant disco ball, while another smeared themselves with body paint next to a line of rehearsing dancers.
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Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
But Forte said the waiver could lead schools to inflate student grades and performance because academic performance will no longer have greater weight than other measures.
—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflate
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Greenspan oversaw an economic boom Greenspan's gamble with low rates paid off, and the economy kept booming for a decade, although critics argue his easy-money policies also helped inflate the dot-com bubble and later fueled the subprime mortgage meltdown.
—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
22 June 2026
One group inflated a giant disco ball, while another smeared themselves with body paint next to a line of rehearsing dancers.
—
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
But Forte said the waiver could lead schools to inflate student grades and performance because academic performance will no longer have greater weight than other measures.
—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflate
Verb
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The rent on our apartment has increased by about 70% over the past six years.
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Angels reliever Ryan Zeferjahn (4-3) struck out two in a scoreless seventh to earn the win and increase his hitless streak to 10 innings, with 19 strikeouts, over his last nine appearances.
Verb
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Co-founder and tour guide Hannah Michelle Brower says the tour will be a historical journey exploring passenger pigeons and the Lenape people, as well as looking at how the arrival of European colonizers accelerated commercial exploitation and ultimately contributed to the extinction of the bird.
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Over time, this can increase electrical resistance, generate excess heat, and accelerate battery degradation.
Verb
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Relatives identified the food vendor as Arabelia Martinez, 62, and have raised more than $100,000 to pay for therapy and replace the items damaged in the incident.
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Jake embraced his stepparent role wholeheartedly and helped raise Alex alongside Antonio and Rochelle.
Verb
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Love’s Travel Stops just expanded its service offerings for RVs, including light maintenance, battery replacement and tire replacement.
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California's new personal finance graduation requirement The lessons come as California prepares to expand financial education statewide.
Verb
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Why the at-home mani pedi trend is growing Three forces are driving the shift, including DIY beauty habits that stuck after the pandemic, the rising price of salon services and a steady stream of social tutorials that make at-home nails feel achievable.
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Estate sales are also a source, though Miranda-Martin feels the rising popularity of these sales in Los Angeles has led to an increase in pricing.
Verb
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Sense of place The river — which swells with spring snowmelt — and surrounding wilderness give the property a strong sense of place.
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Symptoms can be mild to severe and range from nausea, itching, abdominal pain, swelling of the lips to life-threatening symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
Verb
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Bond puts increase in value when bond prices fall and interest rates rise, allowing investors to offset losses elsewhere in their portfolios if borrowing costs jump unexpectedly.
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Indiana forward Myisha Hines-Allen jumped into the scrum.
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The military held a similar security strip from 1985 until 2000, before withdrawing after years of steady casualties, a toll that is accumulating once again.
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Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
Cite this Entry
“Inflate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflate. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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