- 1[transitive, intransitive] inflate (something) to fill something or become filled with gas or air Inflate your life jacket by pulling sharply on the cord. The balloons had been inflated with helium. When attacked, the fish inflates itself to twice its size. The life jacket failed to inflate.
- 2[transitive] inflate something to make something appear to be more important or impressive than it really is The media grossly inflated the significance of this meeting.
- 3[transitive, intransitive] inflate (something) to increase in price; to increase the price of something The principal effect of the demand for new houses was to inflate prices. The profit margin had been artificially inflated. Food prices are no longer inflating at the same rate as last year. compare deflate, reflate
inflate
verbNAmE//ɪnˈfleɪt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they inflate he / she / it inflates
past simple inflated
-ing form inflating
Check pronunciation: inflate