deflate
verb (used with object)
to release the air or gas from (something inflated, as a balloon).
had deflated
-
past perfectof deflate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
A 2-1 defeat at City had deflated the club’s chances of lifting the trophy to 73% from close to 90%, according to Opta projections.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
West Mercia Police said it had received that a call a hot air balloon had deflated and fallen to the ground in a field near the village.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2023
But the measure could not undo the previous “hard money” policies that had deflated prices and pulled farmers into well-entrenched cycles of debt.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 30, 2014
By midnight, before she’d made it into the third song, the crowd had deflated, and the girls were streaming out of the arena.
From New York Times ● Dec. 15, 2013
“Hazel Anderson,” said Mrs. Jacobs, who was the thing that had deflated, “would you sit still?”
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
