First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
inflate
verb in·flate \in-ˈflāt\
: to add air or gas to (something, such as a tire or a balloon) and make it larger
: to become larger by being filled with air or gas
: to think or say that (something) is larger or more important than it really is
in·flat·edin·flat·ing
Full Definition of INFLATE
transitive verb
1
: to swell or distend with air or gas
2
: to puff up : elate <inflate one's ego>
3
: to expand or increase abnormally or imprudently
intransitive verb
: to become inflated
— in·fla·tor or in·flat·er \-ˈflā-tər\ noun
See inflate defined for English-language learners
See inflate defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of INFLATE
Middle English, from Latin inflatus, past participle of inflare, from in- + flare to blow — more at blow
Synonym Discussion of INFLATE
expand, amplify, swell, distend, inflate, dilate mean to increase in size or volume. expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (as growth, unfolding, addition of parts) <a business that expands every year>. amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate <amplify the statement with details>. swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits <the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions>. distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within <a distended abdomen>. inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse <an inflated ego>. dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference <dilated pupils>.
Rhymes with INFLATE
abate, ablate, adnate, aerate, age-mate, agnate, airdate, airfreight, alate, arête, await, backdate, baldpate, bandmate, baseplate, bedmate, bedplate, berate, birthrate, bistate, bite plate, blank slate, blind date, blue plate, bookplate, breastplate, casemate, castrate, caudate, cell plate, cerate, cheapskate, checkmate, chelate, chordate, citrate, classmate, clavate, cognate, collate, comate, conflate, connate, Cook Strait, cordate, create, cremate, crenate, curate, cut-rate, deadweight, death rate, debate, deflate, delate, dentate, derate, dictate, dilate, disrate, donate, doorplate, downstate, drawplate, elate, end plate, equate, estate, faceplate, falcate, fellate, filtrate, first-rate, fishplate, fixate, flatmate, floodgate, fluxgate, flyweight, folate, formate, frustrate, gelate, gestate, ground state, gyrate, hamate, hastate, headgate, Hell Gate, helpmate, home plate, hot plate, housemate, hydrate, ice-skate, ingrate, inmate, innate, instate, irate, jailbait, Kuwait, lactate, lapse rate, legate, liftgate, ligate, lightweight, liquate, lobate, locate, lunate, lustrate, lych-gate, lyrate, magnate, makebate, makeweight, mandate, messmate, migrate, misstate, mutate, nameplate, narrate, negate, Newgate, nitrate, notate, nutate, oblate, of late, orate, ornate, ovate, palmate, palpate, peltate, phonate, pinnate, placate, playdate, playmate, plicate, portrait, postdate, predate, prime rate, probate, prolate, pronate, prorate, prostate, prostrate, punctate, pupate, quadrate, rain date, ramate, rebate, red-bait, relate, restate, roommate, rostrate, rotate, saccate, schoolmate, seatmate, sedate, sensate, septate, serrate, shipmate, short weight, slave state, soleplate, soul mate, spectate, spicate, squamate, stagnate, stalemate, stellate, striate, sublate, substrate, sulcate, summate, tailgate, teammate, Tebet, tenth-rate, ternate, terneplate, testate, third-rate, tinplate, to date, toeplate, tollgate, tractate, translate, tristate, truncate, unweight, update, uprate, upstate, V-8, vacate, vallate, valvate, vibrate, virgate, vulgate, whitebait, workmate
INFLATER Defined for Kids
inflate
verb in·flate \in-ˈflāt\
in·flat·edin·flat·ing
Definition of INFLATE for Kids
1
: to swell or fill with air or gas <inflate a balloon>
2
: to cause to increase beyond proper limits <Prices have been inflated.>
Medical Dictionary
inflate
verb in·flate \in-ˈflāt\
in·flat·edin·flat·ing
Medical Definition of INFLATE
transitive verb
: to swell or distend with air or gas <inflate the lungs>
intransitive verb
: to become inflated
—in·fla·tion \in-ˈflā-shən\ noun
Learn More About INFLATE
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: inflatedPrevious Word in the Dictionary: inflatableAll Words Near: inflate
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up inflate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).