as in exaggerated
extended beyond normal or realistic bounds
he's been walking around with an inflated ego every since he got the promotion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in increased
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in accelerated
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
Airbags are designed to inflate automatically on impact.
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inflated
Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Given the remarkable radiation tolerance displayed by the molds discovered at Chernobyl, fungi might also provide radiation shielding — Maurer imagines growing thin layers of them inside the inflated buildings to shield the astronauts living within.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Finally, the Pontos' seat gets inflated and secured inside the cockpit.
—Ben Coxworth
march 25, New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflated
Adjective
Those inflated bills are eating into families’ budgets at a time when gas, grocery and housing costs are high and threatening to climb further, limiting many Americans’ ability to save money and build wealth.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Given the remarkable radiation tolerance displayed by the molds discovered at Chernobyl, fungi might also provide radiation shielding — Maurer imagines growing thin layers of them inside the inflated buildings to shield the astronauts living within.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Earlier this month, Bianco’s office seized over 1,000 boxes of ballots cast in the November 2025 special election after a local group claimed elections officials had inflated vote tallies, which Riverside County Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco denied.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Finally, the Pontos' seat gets inflated and secured inside the cockpit.
—Ben Coxworth
march 25, New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inflated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflated
Adjective
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With its exaggerated collar and slim-fitting pants, this outfit is the definition of elevated athleisure.—
Isabel Bekele,
InStyle,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Mario himself is played mostly straight by Pratt, subduing the exaggerated Italian accent from the games, while retaining the underdog aspect of a blue collar guy burdened with greater purpose.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The agency late last year also increased the number of citable violations from five — including fare evasion, eating or drinking onboard, smoking, or incorrectly using a discount ticket — to 25.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities have increased 91% — from 78 in 2015 to 149 in 2025.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His play on the field has only accelerated his rise.—
PJ Green
April 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
When officers attempted to catch up, the driver, identified as a 19-year-old, allegedly accelerated away from police.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Liability protections for officers and directors were also expanded.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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Under the leadership of former CEOs, including the late Thomas Storrs and Hugh McColl, Gentry was part of a team that expanded the bank far beyond North Carolina’s border.—
Chase Jordan
April 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump has said private donors would foot the bill for the project, the price of which has ballooned from the original $200 million estimate.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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OpenAI kickstarted the artificial intelligence boom with the launch of its ChatGPT chatbot in 2022, and the company has since ballooned into one of the fastest-growing commercial entities on the planet.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Formed in 1949, the alliance initially included 12 countries, but has swelled to 32 members.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
But this winter, despite the thin and vanishing snowpack, the Black River swelled.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Boxing scenes in movies, other than in a handful of classics, tend to start to look all the same, a mishmash of beads of sweat and blood and jowels distended, all fists flying and battering as two men catapult and careen across the ring.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
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My stomach wasn't distended anymore.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Charlotte home prices rose slightly in February compared to the same time last year, although certain neighborhoods had significant swings up or down, according to the latest data from the real estate site Redfin.—
Chase Jordan
April 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
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Utah is at the heart of what’s been called the Sagebrush Rebellion, which rose during the Reagan era to challenge the prevailing management of federal lands, and, indeed, the entire idea of federal lands.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inflated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflated. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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