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Synonyms

inflation

American  
[in-fley-shuhn] / ɪnˈfleɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. Economics. a persistent, substantial rise in the general level of prices related to an increase in the volume of money and resulting in the loss of value of currency (deflation ).

  2. the act of inflating.

  3. the state of being inflated. inflated.

inflation British  
/ ɪnˈfleɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act of inflating or state of being inflated

  2. 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

  3. informal the rate of increase of prices

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
inflation Cultural  

  1. A general increase in prices.

Other Word Forms

  • anti-inflation noun
  • noninflation noun
  • overinflation noun
  • reinflation noun
  • self-inflation noun

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; inflate

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.

At the same time, oil prices remain about 60% higher than at the start of the year, putting pressure on an American economy that was already staring down stubbornly high inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

New figures suggest inflation - the rate at which prices rise - for farm running costs is more than 7% higher this March, compared with last March.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

And the spread hit nearly 6% in the summer of 2023 due to fears about inflation reaching 9%.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

“Closing the Strait of Hormuz for one, two or three quarters would increase … inflation in 2026 by 0.35, 0.79 and 1.47 percentage points, respectively,” the bank concluded.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

After Grandpa died, most of the money was lost, and after the Great War and inflation there was nothing left at all.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

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.