inflationary

American

[in-fley-shuh-ner-ee] / ɪnˈfleɪ ʃəˌnɛr i /

adjective

of, pertaining to, reflective of, or causing inflation.

inflationary prices.

inflationary British

/ ɪnˈfleɪʃənərɪ /

adjective

of, relating to, causing, or characterized by inflation

inflationary wage claims

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of inflationary

First recorded in 1915–20; inflation + -ary

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Inflationary pressures stem from increased oil, data-center chip, and military equipment prices, alongside supply-chain issues.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

Inflationary pressures are also hurting sales and profits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026

Inflationary pressures have also eased after Ottawa, as of September, dropped retaliatory tariffs on imports of most U.S. goods.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

Inflationary pressures that have driven up the cost of living in recent months have made purchases of cleaner — often costlier — technologies less attractive, and many consumers have demanded lower gasoline prices.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 29, 2023

In his book The Inflationary Universe, Alan Guth provides an analogy that helps to put this finding in perspective.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023