| Inflate 1. (p. a.) Blown in; inflated. 2. (v. t.) To swell or distend with air or gas; to dilate; to expand; to enlarge; as, to inflate a bladder; to inflate the lungs. 3. (v. t.) Fig.: To swell; to puff up; to elate; as, to inflate one with pride or vanity. 4. (v. t.) To cause to become unduly expanded or increased; as, to inflate the currency. 5. (v. i.) To expand; to fill; to distend. Thesaurus Entries Barnumize, add to, aggrandize, amplify, augment, balloon, bloat, blow, blow up, bombast, boost, broaden, build, build up, bulk, bulk out, crescendo, develop, dilate, distend, enlarge, exaggerate, exalt, expand, extend, fatten, fill out, hike, hike up, huff, increase, jack up, jump up, lay it on, lengthen, magnify, maximize, overdevelop, overdistend, overdraw, overexpand, overextend, overstrain, overstretch, parlay, pile it on, pontificate, puff, puff up, pump, pump up, put up, pyramid, raise, rarefy, strain, stretch, sufflate, swell, talk big, talk highfalutin, thicken, up, vapor, widen |