inflation
Americannoun
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the act of inflating or state of being inflated
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economics a progressive increase in the general level of prices brought about by an expansion in demand or the money supply ( demand-pull inflation ) or by autonomous increases in costs ( cost-push inflation ) Compare deflation
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informal the rate of increase of prices
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of inflation
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English inflacio(u)n, from Latin inflātiōn-, stem of inflātiō, equivalent to inflāt(us), past participle of inflāre “to blow on or into, puff out” + -iō -ion; see inflate
Explanation
Think of inflation as expansion, usually from being filled with air, like a balloon. This also refers to rising prices. Think of a balloon puffing up, getting fuller and fuller — that's inflation. The word has a bunch of related meanings. We can say people a little too full of themselves are suffering from inflation: they are full of hot air. When the cost of living is ballooning, that's economic inflation. When the universe was born in the big bang, there was a huge inflation, as matter spread out, creating galaxies, stars, and planets.
Vocabulary lists containing inflation
Human Geography - High School
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Ancient Rome - Introductory
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Western Europe - Introductory
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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.
“If energy prices remain elevated, investors may need to reassess not only the outlook for inflation, but also expectations for interest rates and economic growth.”
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
The decision to raise interest rates comes as the inflation outlook looks a lot less threatening, with oil prices below $100 a barrel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
The IMF predicts U.S. inflation won’t return to, nor approach, the Federal Reserve’s goal of 2% until the end of 2027 — assuming an end to the Iran war.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
Looking ahead, asset quality will be a key area to watch as supply chain-related inflation risks build, while the proposed expansion of the Malaysia’s benchmark Kuala Lumpur Composite Index could temporarily reduce the sector’s weighting.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
The eventual result was the inflation theory, which holds that a fraction of a moment after the dawn of creation, the universe underwent a sudden dramatic expansion.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
