inflatable

American  

[in-fley-tuh-buhl] / ɪnˈfleɪ tə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being inflated.

2. designed or built to be inflated before use.

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noun

1. an inflatable object, device, or structure, especially a small rubber boat that is inflated with air.

inflatable British  

/ ɪnˈfleɪtəbəl /

noun

1. any of various large air-filled objects made of strong plastic or rubber, used for children to play on at fairs, carnivals, etc

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adjective

1. capable of being inflated

Other Word Forms

• reinflatable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of inflatable

First recorded in 1875–80; inflate + -able

Explanation

Something inflatable can be blown up or filled with air. A balloon is inflatable — you can either blow it up, or fill it with helium so that it floats. Car tires are inflatable, and so are beach balls, bicycle inner tubes, floating pool toys, bouncy castles, air mattresses, and some lightweight boats. If you're in a car accident, the inflatable air bag will fill quickly to protect you from hitting the dashboard. The adjective inflatable comes from the Latin inflare, "to blow into or puff up."

Example Sentences

The barge idea was hatched after their initial attempt to save the whale with inflatable cushions and pontoons was unsuccessful.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

Some 6,000 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel by inflatable dinghy so far this year.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Jack Johnson headlined the first night and Roger Waters closed the main stage, performing Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and letting a giant inflatable pig loose in the sky.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

When John Robinson remarried in late 2022, his guests at the Duquesne Club in downtown Pittsburgh were greeted with an inflatable rat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Rashid spotted them and said, “The firefighters are setting up an inflatable cushion.”

From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau