deflate
[ dih-fleyt ]
/ dɪˈfleɪt /
verb (used with object), de·flat·ed, de·flat·ing.
to release the air or gas from (something inflated, as a balloon): They deflated the tires slightly to allow the truck to drive under the overpass.
to depress or reduce (a person or a person's ego, hopes, spirits, etc.); puncture; dash: Her rebuff thoroughly deflated me.
to reduce (currency, prices, etc.) from an inflated condition; to affect with deflation.
verb (used without object), de·flat·ed, de·flat·ing.
to become deflated.
Nearby words
Origin of deflate
Related formsde·fla·tor, nounself-de·flat·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for deflating
British Dictionary definitions for deflating
deflate
/ (dɪˈfleɪt) /
verb
to collapse or cause to collapse through the release of gas
(tr) to take away the self-esteem or conceit from
economics to cause deflation of (an economy, the money supply, etc)
Derived Formsdeflator, noun
Word Origin for deflate
C19: from de- + (in) flate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for deflating
deflate
1891, in reference to balloons, coinage based on inflate. Latin deflare meant "to blow away," but in the modern word the prefix is taken in the sense of "down." Related: Deflated; deflating.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper