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inflate
/ɪnˈfleɪt/
to fill with air or gas
The mechanic inflated the car tires before the long trip.
The mechanic filled the car tires with air to ensure they were properly pressurized.
general
to fill something with air or gas, typically to increase its size or pressure
She inflated the balloon for the party.
She filled the balloon with air to make it larger.
The company inflated the prices during the holiday season.
The company increased the prices of goods during the holiday season.
Can also be used metaphorically to describe increasing something abstract, such as prices or expectations.
figurative
to increase in size, number, or importance
The scandal inflated the politician's problems.
The scandal made the politician's problems seem more significant.
Often used in a negative context to describe something becoming exaggerated or overblown.
Collocations
inflate a balloonto fill a balloon with airinflate pricesto increase pricesinflate expectationsto raise expectations beyond what is realistic
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Literal vs. Figurative Use
Remember that 'inflate' can refer to both physical inflation (like a balloon) and abstract inflation (like prices or expectations).
Gold Rule
Common Collocations
'Inflate' is often used with 'balloon', 'tires', 'prices', and 'expectations'.
Word Origin
From Latin 'inflāre', meaning 'to blow into' or 'to puff up'.
Usage Notes
The verb 'inflate' can be both literal (filling with air) and figurative (increasing in size or importance). In financial contexts, it often refers to increasing prices or economic values.
Word Breakdown
in-
into
prefix-flate
to blow or puff
rootEnglish Dictionary