Deflate (Verb)
Meaning 1
Release contained air or gas from; "deflate the air mattress".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
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Meaning 2
Reduce or lessen the size or importance of; "The bad review of his work deflated his self-confidence".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The loss in the championship game deflated the team's morale.
- Her father's disapproval deflated her plans to pursue a career in the arts.
- The new evidence deflated the prosecution's case against the defendant.
- A critical comment from her teacher deflated her enthusiasm for writing.
- The correction to the initial report deflated the panic that had spread among investors.
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Meaning 3
Reduce or cut back the amount or availability of, creating a decline in value or prices; "deflate the currency".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- Higher interest rates could deflate the housing market by making mortgage payments more expensive.
- Easy money policies over time inflated a massive bubble, but now some steps have to be taken to deflate it.
- Regulators could also choose to deflate the market by imposing strict regulations on short-selling transactions.
- Using interest rates to deflate the economy often affects lower income households strongly, creating inequality and economic hardship.
- Stricter lending regulations may help to deflate speculative bubbles in the financial markets.
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Meaning 4
Become deflated or flaccid, as by losing air; "The balloons deflated".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The soccer ball deflated after being kicked too hard, rendering it unusable for the rest of the game.
- After being left outside on a cold winter night, the inflatable pool toy began to deflate.
- When the party was over, the balloons that had decorated the room slowly began to deflate.
- If you don't tie up a balloon properly, it will start to deflate immediately after being inflated.
- A week after the holiday, the deflated Christmas decorations were quickly packed up and stored in the attic.
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Meaning 5
Collapse by releasing contained air or gas; "deflate a balloon".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The sudden release of air caused the tire to deflate rapidly.
- As the party ended, the staff had to deflate all the colorful balloons.
- During the crash landing, the airplane's tires started to deflate, making the landing even more challenging.
- The inflatable pool toys began to deflate after being left outside in the sun for too long.
- The careful diver slowly allowed her air tank to deflate as she gradually descended to the ocean floor.
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Meaning 6
Produce deflation in; "The new measures deflated the economy".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..