inflate

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb inflate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of inflate are amplify, dilate, distend, expand, and swell. While all these words mean "to increase in size or volume," inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.

an inflated ego

When is amplify a more appropriate choice than inflate?

While in some cases nearly identical to inflate, amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.

amplify the statement with details

When is it sensible to use dilate instead of inflate?

The meanings of dilate and inflate largely overlap; however, dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.

dilated pupils

Where would distend be a reasonable alternative to inflate?

Although the words distend and inflate have much in common, distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.

a distended abdomen

When might expand be a better fit than inflate?

The synonyms expand and inflate are sometimes interchangeable, but expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts).

a business that expands every year

When could swell be used to replace inflate?

The words swell and inflate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.

the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inflate This new tabulation method is similar to how views are counted on TikTok and Meta’s Reels, and will likely inflate view counts. Zach Vallese, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025 At the same time, the Department of Justice has opened an antitrust investigation into whether major egg producers artificially inflated prices during the surge. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025 Milton, who had been free on bail while appealing his conviction, was accused of inflating Nikola's stock value by making misleading claims about the company's technology. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025 Some think those numbers are inflated, others an undercount: Medical journal The Lancet estimated 64,000 dead. Nicholas D. Kristof, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inflate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflate
Verb
  • The price of buying a foreign car could increase by anywhere between $5,000 to $15,000, Goldman Sachs estimates.
    Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2025
  • These tariffs directly increase costs for producers, particularly in the construction of drilling rigs and pipelines.
    Steven Dudash, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The improved coding and long-context capabilities could accelerate software development cycles, enabling developers to tackle more complex problems, analyze legacy code more effectively, or generate code documentation and tests more efficiently.
    Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • This process can accelerate movement toward extreme issue-position groups and identities.
    Jen Cole Wright, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, these updates raise questions about the Oscars broadcast itself.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • There’s also a charity component, with the team raising funds for local students involved in fish restoration efforts.
    Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That’s the plan at the 49ers’ facility where workers are tearing out the lone artificial surface field in preparation of expanding the team’s grass practice fields.
    Matt Barrows, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In 2024, the league took concrete steps in that direction, expanding the number of international roster spots from five per team to seven.
    Asli Pelit, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Single-family housing starts rose 11.4 percent in February, the highest rate in a year, but are primarily happening in just one part of the country.
    Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The country’s Kospi stock index rose 0.56% after the announcement, while the won weakened 0.58% to trade at 1,422 against the dollar.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Now, with the help of AI, that figure could balloon considerably.
    Quora, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
  • And after the news of the pause hit investors, the stock market ballooned, hitting highs after several days of trepidation over tariffs.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Before the pandemic, Jackson County Public Health had about 30 employees, but swelled to about 120 during the crisis.
    Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The agency hopes the undertaking will accommodate population swells on Fort Worth’s western outskirts.
    Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The pup’s abdomen was firm and distended.
    Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The Most Exciting New Advances in Managing COPD With another strategy, diaphragmatic breathing, patients concentrate on distending their abdomen while taking in air.
    Matt Fuchs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Inflate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflate. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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