1
as in increasing
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 accelerating
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
Airbags are designed to inflate automatically on impact.
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Recent Examples of inflating
Some sequences would have required knowledge of special effects, with balloons inflating and deflating under glass, and pieces of paper bursting into flames.
—
Shannon Taggart, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
The legal filing alleges that from 2018 to 2025, the brothers enriched themselves by falsely inflating invoices for accounts receivable and payable, falsifying financial statements and hiding substantial liabilities from lenders, among other practices.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
The indictment accuses the pair of perpetrating a widespread fraud scheme, including inflating invoices, falsifying financial documents and double- and triple-counting collateral.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
He is being charged with allegedly materially inflating the performance of the nutrition segment which ADM touted to investors as an important driver of the company’s overall growth.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
In eulogizing Ser Arlan, Dunk is also inflating his valor and honor and, well, everything else.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The advantage of inflating a tent off the side of the vehicle in this way is multifold.
—New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
The company pledges the change will give victims a larger cut of their settlement money, alleging predatory attorneys are inflating medical bills to increase their own profits.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
That said, many have a vested interest in inflating their compensation, which makes for a delicate reporting exercise.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Shannon Taggart, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
The legal filing alleges that from 2018 to 2025, the brothers enriched themselves by falsely inflating invoices for accounts receivable and payable, falsifying financial statements and hiding substantial liabilities from lenders, among other practices.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
The indictment accuses the pair of perpetrating a widespread fraud scheme, including inflating invoices, falsifying financial documents and double- and triple-counting collateral.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
He is being charged with allegedly materially inflating the performance of the nutrition segment which ADM touted to investors as an important driver of the company’s overall growth.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
In eulogizing Ser Arlan, Dunk is also inflating his valor and honor and, well, everything else.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
The advantage of inflating a tent off the side of the vehicle in this way is multifold.
—New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
The company pledges the change will give victims a larger cut of their settlement money, alleging predatory attorneys are inflating medical bills to increase their own profits.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
That said, many have a vested interest in inflating their compensation, which makes for a delicate reporting exercise.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflating
Verb
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Now, decoupling supply chains are driving manufacturing growth in the West once more, electric vehicles and home heat pumps need to be plugged in, and the makers of AI’s large language models have ever-increasing power needs.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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The move marks a broader trend from the brand, which has been increasing its visibility to new markets through the world of sports, and, at the moment, none is hotter than that of F1.—
Blake Buettner,
Robb Report,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That could be a signal that the pace of layoffs is accelerating.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Alphabet reported fantastic fourth-quarter results on Wednesday, proof that its eye-popping spending on artificial intelligence is accelerating growth across all its businesses.—
,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The agent is seen raising the pepper spray can, pointing it towards the crowd in what looked to be an attempt to keep them at a distance.—
Gio Insignares,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
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In an email to The Times, Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said the governor had a strong record of fighting for workers’ rights, including raising the minimum wage and expanding sick leave and other worker protections.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Future versions are projected to extend driving range to around 310–372 miles (500–600 kilometers), expanding suitability beyond short-range applications.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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Bill Gates named in Epstein files Documents released from the Epstein files indicate that Gates and Epstein met repeatedly after Epstein's prison term to discuss expanding the Microsoft founder's philanthropic efforts.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lawmakers in European powerhouse Germany have approved a government plan to attract more military recruits as the country tries to boost the ranks of its armed forces in the face of rising concern about the threat posed by Russia.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Takaichi had earlier laid out a record $783 billion budget for the next fiscal year starting April 1, on top of a $135 billion stimulus package introduced last year to help households with rising living costs.—
CNBC.com staff,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Patients should learn that swelling and bruising are most noticeable during the first few weeks.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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Software stock slide worsens on AI fears US software stocks sank further Tuesday on swelling investor fears that new AI tools will eat their lunch.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The state has been consistently strapped for cash over the past two years, driven in particular by ballooning Medicaid costs.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
14 Jan. 2026
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As more retail investors participate in capital markets, the opportunities for asset managers to handle those funds are ballooning.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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It must be understood that historical references to this team are like prompts on an online dating profile — not under any circumstances to be taken seriously, but a fun jumping off point.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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In the years before, international migration had been swiftly increasing, jumping from about 43,000 in 2021 to more than 350,000 in 2024.—
William Tong,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inflating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflating. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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