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Definition of inflation noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

     

    inflation

     noun
    noun
    NAmE//ɪnˈfleɪʃn//
     
    [uncountable]
     
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  1. 1a fall in the value of money and a general increase in prices; the rate at which this happens the fight against rising inflation to control/curb inflation to reduce/bring down inflation a high/low rate of inflation an inflation rate of 3% Salary increases must be in line with inflation. Inflation is currently running at 3%. rapid/runaway/galloping inflation The annual rate of inflation fell to 0.1% in 2008. Topic CollocationsThe Economymanaging the economy
    • handle/run/manage the economy
    • boost investment/spending/employment/growth
    • stimulate demand/the economy/industry
    • cut/reduce investment/spending/borrowing
    • reduce/curb/control/keep down inflation
    • create/fuel growth/demand/a boom/a bubble
    • encourage/foster/promote/stimulate/stifle innovation/competition
    • encourage/work with/compete with the private sector
    • increase/boost/promote U.S./agricultural exports
    • ban/restrict/block cheap/foreign imports
    • the economy grows/expands/shrinks/contracts/slows (down)/recovers/improves/is booming
    • enjoy an economic/housing/property boom
    economic problems
    • push up/drive up prices/costs/inflation
    • damage/hurt/destroy industry/the economy
    • cause/lead to/go into/avoid/escape recession
    • experience/suffer a recession/downturn
    • fight/combat inflation/deflation/unemployment
    • cause/create inflation/poverty/unemployment
    • create/burst a housing/stock market bubble
    • cause/trigger a stock market crash/the collapse of the banking system
    • face/be plunged into a financial/an economic crisis
    • be caught in/experience cycles of boom and bust
    public finance
    • cut/reduce/slash/increase/double the defense/education budget
    • increase/boost/slash/cut public spending
    • increase/raise/cut/lower/reduce taxes
    • raise/cut/lower/reduce interest rates
    • ease/loosen/tighten monetary policy
    • balance the (state/federal) budget
    • achieve/maintain a balanced budget
    • run a ($4 trillion) budget deficit/surplus
    • ⇨ more collocations at
  2. 2the act or process of filling something with air or gas life jackets with an automatic inflation device opposite deflation
See inflation in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary