balloon

1 of 3

noun

bal·​loon bə-ˈlün 

plural balloons

1

: a nonporous bag of light material that can be inflated especially with air or gas: such as

a

: a bag that is filled with heated air or a gas lighter than air so as to rise and float in the atmosphere and that usually carries a suspended load (such as a gondola with passengers)

b

: an inflatable bag (as of rubber or plastic) usually used as a toy or for decoration

c

medical : a small bag that can be inflated (as in a bodily cavity) with air or gas

More than 700,000 Americans undergo procedures in which clogged arteries are cleared out with a balloon and then propped open with a tiny metal scaffold called a stent.

—Ron Winslow

2

: the outline enclosing words spoken or thought by a figure especially in a cartoon

balloon

2 of 3

adjective

1

: relating to, resembling, or suggesting a balloon

a balloon sleeve

2

US : having or being a final installment that is much larger than preceding ones in a term or installment note

a balloon note

a balloon mortgage

Got a commercial mortgage coming due? If the loan requires a balloon payment (as many such mortgages do), you may have a hard time refinancing …

—INC

balloon

3 of 3

verb

ballooned; ballooning; balloons

intransitive verb

1

: to swell or puff out : expand

ballooned to 200 pounds

2

: to ascend or travel in or as if in a balloon

3

: to increase rapidly

ballooning prices

transitive verb

: inflate, increase

Phrases

go over like a lead balloon (US) or British go down like a lead balloon

informal

: to fail completely to impress or amuse other people

Not surprisingly, his overt religiosity has proved a mixed blessing. While probably a winner on the stump, it has gone over like a lead balloon with journalists, liberals, and even many Jewish organizations.

—Michelle Cottle

But the last time I saw it on stage, in Ned Sherrin's 1996 revival, the dialogue bored me rigid and the whole thing … went down like a lead balloon.

—David Nice

Synonyms

Verb

• accelerate
• accumulate
• appreciate
• boom
• build up
• burgeon
• bourgeon
• climb
• enlarge
• escalate
• expand
• gain
• increase
• mount
• multiply
• mushroom
• proliferate
• rise
• roll up
• snowball
• spread
• swell
• wax

Examples of balloon in a Sentence

Noun

I blew up a balloon but then it burst.

brightly colored balloons and other party decorations

Verb

Their credit card debt ballooned to more than $5,000.

the ballooning costs of education

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

China's naval maneuvers near Taiwan intensified over the weekend, with Taiwan's Defense Ministry reporting 14 warships, seven military aircraft, and four balloons in the region. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

While the Chinese balloons violating our airspace in 2023 grabbed headlines, even more concerning are the mysterious drones recently flying over sensitive military and industrial sites in Virginia. —Todd Harrison, TIME, 7 Dec. 2024

Adjective

President Joe Biden delivered remarks about the objects Thursday, downplaying the possibility that the non-balloon objects shot down might also be tied to surveillance efforts. —Dennis Romero, NBC News, 18 Feb. 2023

Such releases have been banned in a handful of states and cities, according to the anti-balloon release organization called Balloons Blow. —Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Apr. 2022

Verb

What began as a series of hopeful pro-democracy protests in Syria in 2011 ballooned into a devastating and intractable conflict that contributed to one of the most severe refugee crises since World War II. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2024

Already the world’s richest person, Musk’s net worth has ballooned $91 billion in that same timeframe, bringing his total wealth to $353 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. —Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French ballon large football, balloon, from Italian dialect ballone large football, augmentative of balla ball, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German balla ball — more at ball

First Known Use

Noun

1783, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1784, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1784, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing balloon

• balloon angioplasty
• balloon catheter
• balloon flower
• balloon payment
• balloon tire
• balloon vine
• barrage balloon
• hot-air balloon
• trial balloon
• water balloon

Kids Definition

balloon

1 of 2 noun

bal·​loon bə-ˈlün 

1

: a bag of tough light material filled with heated gas or a gas lighter than air so as to rise and float in the atmosphere and that usually carries a suspended load (as a gondola with passengers)

2

: a toy or decoration consisting of an inflatable bag (as of rubber)

3

: an outline containing words spoken or thought by a character (as in a cartoon)

balloon

2 of 2 verb

1

: to go up or travel in a balloon

2

: to swell or puff out

3

: to increase rapidly

ballooning prices

Medical Definition

balloon

1 of 2 noun

bal·​loon bə-ˈlün 

: a nonporous bag of tough light material that can be inflated (as in a bodily cavity) with air or gas

gastroesophageal tamponade by introduction of a balloon into the stomach

balloon

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to inflate or distend like a balloon

intransitive verb

: to swell or puff out

Legal Definition

balloon

adjective

bal·​loon

: being or having a final installment that is much larger than preceding ones in an installment or term loan

a balloon payment

Note: In contrast to an amortized loan, a balloon loan is generally repaid in periodic payments of interest and a large, lump sum payment of principal at the end of the term.