1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
the paper bag ballooned and blew away as the wind lifted it skyward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of balloon
And later that same day, House Republicans passed a bill that would balloon the federal deficit.
—
Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
Power grids strained, energy costs ballooned and the companies that failed to plan paid the price.
—Erik Greenstein, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
By 1929, even as the federal budget ballooned, veterans benefits still represented 20% of the total federal budget.
—Jamie Rowen, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Starship’s sheer size, coupled with more frequent launches, could balloon Starbase’s overall environmental footprint while also essentially shutting down Highway 4 for much of the year.
—Paola Rosa-Aquino, Scientific American, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
Power grids strained, energy costs ballooned and the companies that failed to plan paid the price.
—Erik Greenstein, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
By 1929, even as the federal budget ballooned, veterans benefits still represented 20% of the total federal budget.
—Jamie Rowen, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Starship’s sheer size, coupled with more frequent launches, could balloon Starbase’s overall environmental footprint while also essentially shutting down Highway 4 for much of the year.
—Paola Rosa-Aquino, Scientific American, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloon
Verb
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The decision to decrease the tax rate comes after a recent revaluation that increased single-family home values in the county by about 58%.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2025
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Ratcliffe has since increased his stake to nearly 30 per cent after spending a further $300m on new shares.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Verb
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The animals have small eyes that slightly protrude from their heads, which are smooth and flat, according to the study.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
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Books fly off the shelves, a protruding nail vanishes and then reappears, a Ouija board spells an incomplete message, and there’s definitely something on the third floor.—
Gabino Iglesias,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Crime rates had been rising exponentially since the 1960s; now, with the NYPD diminished and demoralized, untold numbers of assaults, robberies, and property crimes went unreported, while open-air drug markets operated with relative impunity in many parts of the city.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2025
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However, Florida residents have already seen their electric bills rise by 20% over the last five years.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Cunningham came to the defense of her teammate Clark, retaliating with less than a minute left on the clock after, earlier in the game, the Fever's superstar player was poked in the eye and then knocked to the ground by two separate Sun players.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
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Then, during a play midway through the third quarter, Clark got poked in the eye by Sheldon and responded by giving the Sun star another shove.—
Chuck Schilken,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Such symptoms may include: itchy mouth, swelling of the skin, especially lips and eyes, skin rash with hives, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, coughing, asthma symptoms, light headedness, passing out and more.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
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Before the performance came to a close, Khalifa was overcome with emotion as his tear ducts began to swell.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
10 June 2025
Verb
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If the surface bulges outward at that point, then the flow moves inward.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
31 Mar. 2025
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Photos posted online showed the snake arrived at a Virginia animal hospital with a bulging body.—
Simone Jasper,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The state both increased funding for special education and accelerated by one year the commitment to fully funding the Education Cost Sharing formula, through which most state aid for local education flows.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
14 June 2025
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Iran’s nuclear program accelerated after the breakdown of the 2015 nuclear agreement which halted international inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities.—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Verb
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However, as has been the case with other annual shopping events, retailers expanded the promotional period to start May 13, a week earlier than in 2024, before ending June 18.—
Bernice Ooi,
CNBC,
20 June 2025
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Most significantly, 62% say their responsibilities have expanded significantly beyond their core reporting roles, with 37% reporting layoffs or buyouts at their organizations in the past year.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloon. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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