inflated
Americanadjective
-
distended with air or gas; swollen.
-
puffed up, as with pride.
-
turgid or bombastic.
his inflated prose.
-
unduly increased in level.
inflated costs.
-
Economics. unduly expanded in amount, value, or size; characterized by inflation.
-
Botany. hollow and enlarged or swelled out.
inflated perianth.
Other Word Forms
- inflatedly adverb
- inflatedness noun
- underinflated adjective
- uninflated adjective
Etymology
Origin of inflated
Explanation
If it's puffed up and overrated, it's probably inflated — a simple adjective that means blown out of proportion or exaggerated. Think of a balloon. You blow and blow, and it gets bigger and bigger. Sometimes if you blow too much it takes on a distorted shape, or even explodes. Now use that same imagery, but swap the balloon for someone's ego or the price of U2 concert tickets. Both personalities and prices can get inflated beyond reasonableness — the personalities with pretentious hot air and the prices with unnecessary cost.
Vocabulary lists containing inflated
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.
Fifa has hit back at criticism from New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, saying vastly inflated train fares at the 2026 World Cup will create problems far beyond just hitting fans in the pocket.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Only companies based in the UK fall under the scope of the legislation, meaning platforms like Vivid Seats which are based abroad are able to sell tickets at inflated prices.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Later that year, Chinese regulators fined Hengda the equivalent of about $580 million for allegedly issuing fraudulent financial statements—which inflated revenue and profit—and using them in bond issuances.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Attendees wearing cowboy hats line danced, petted fluffy white calves and posed for pictures in front of an inflated cactus.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
Harvey actually measured the capacity of the heart, which he described as being like an inflated glove, and worked out how much blood it was pumping into the arteries each minute.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
