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Showing results for inflation. Search instead for reinflation.
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.

Tuition that outpaced inflation for decades has saddled students and families with high debt and yielded uneven returns on the time and money poured into a four-year degree.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Erasing the risk of severe demand destruction leaves an inflation problem that wasn’t fully extinguished before the war, plus elevated energy prices are likely to remain a problem.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Even if the conflict ends within the next two weeks, the Food and Drink Federation expects UK food inflation to reach at least 9% before the end of the year.

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

Soon, there were food shortages, and inflation made their money so worthless that people began burning it for fuel.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

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.