inflated

adjective

in·​flat·​ed in-ˈflā-təd How to pronounce inflated (audio)
Synonyms of inflatednext
1
: distended with air or gas
2
: expanded to an abnormal or unjustifiable volume or level
inflated prices
3
: elaborated or heightened by artificial or empty means
an inflated style of writing
4
: being hollow and enlarged or distended

Synonyms of inflated

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of inflated in a Sentence

a writer with an inflated reputation an inflated style of writing She objects to the inflated salaries that many professional athletes now receive.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Hundreds of thousands of property and business owners saw their assessed values raised by more than 15% either in 2023 or 2025, leading to inflated property tax bills that many have called unreasonable or unfair. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 Still, the fandoms that are most likely to post emo lyrics or examine the most devastating lines could have a slightly inflated score. — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 His organization has accused parts of the autism-therapy industry of inflated billings, fraudulent filings, and billing for care that was never delivered. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026 Growing the academy is seen as a vital source of first-team talent, given the increasingly inflated global transfer market. — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inflated

Word History

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of inflated was in 1652

Rhymes for inflated

See All Rhymes for inflated

Browse Nearby Words

inflate
inflated
inflatedly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inflated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflated. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

inflated

adjective
in·​flat·​ed
in-ˈflāt-əd
: hollow and stretched or swelled
inflated pods of a plant

More from Merriam-Webster on inflated

Nglish: Translation of inflated for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All