inflated

1 of 2

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

inflated

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of inflate

Synonyms of inflated

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of inflated in a Sentence

Adjective 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.
Adjective
These include, but are not limited to, contracts granted at inflated costs to Bastien Baudoin, the head of the consultancy firm Tyrex Conseil, and the company Ludoparc, for the building of a children’s playground. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 21 Aug. 2026 But Puck’s inflated branding has, over time, come to look almost prophetic. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026 Instead of negotiating discounts off hospitals’ inflated list prices, Montana’s health plan started paying percentages of what Medicare paid for all services. — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026 Every additional dollar spent covering inflated pension obligations means one less dollar to fund public services, including, ironically, public safety services. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inflated

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

inflated

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

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All