inflate
verb (used with object)
to distend; swell or puff out; dilate.
had inflated
-
past perfectof inflate.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.
One thread that Peters pulled on was whether Mullin had inflated his background.
From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2026
Howell and his worker, then based in Palm Beach, Fla., had inflated their clients’ write-offs and fabricated expenses for years, prosecutors alleged in the indictment.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 27, 2026
The bank later discovered she had inflated her user count more than tenfold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025
The new treasurer also discovered that Albarran had inflated the vehicle’s mileage when he obtained an estimate from Kelley Blue Book, the sources said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2025
Davis’s testimony carried with it the unstated accusation that Burnham and Baker had inflated the amount of money needed to complete the fair.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
