hyperinflation

American  

[hahy-per-in-fley-shuhn] / ˌhaɪ pər ɪnˈfleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. extreme or excessive inflation.

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hyperinflation British  

/ ˌhaɪpəɪnˈfleɪʃən /

noun

1. Also called: galloping inflation.  extremely high inflation, usually over 50 per cent per month, often involving social disorder

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Other Word Forms

• hyperinflationary adjective

Etymology

Origin of hyperinflation

First recorded in 1925–30; hyper- + inflation

Example Sentences

In the mid-2000s, Zimbabwe underwent a period of hyperinflation that resulted in printing banknotes worth 100 trillion dollars.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

But history is the unseen guest at every table; the country remains haunted by the memory of the hyperinflation that devastated the economy in the 1920s and helped propel the Nazis to power.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Some areas face much more dire risks, and could be forced into recession or hyperinflation sooner.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

Even so, petroleum was still a lifeline for a nation mired in more than a decade of economic, political and social tumult marked by mass emigration, hyperinflation and a near-ubiquitous sense of despair.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

In     the 1980s the economy suffered from hyperinflation, declining per capita     output, and mounting external debt.

From The 1992 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Related Words

• devaluation