inflate
gb/ɪnflˈeɪt/ us/ɪnflˈeɪt/
B1
Inglês
Acepções
0 acepção
Verbo
B1
action
1
fill with air or gas
To put air into something so it gets bigger and firm.
Padrão de uso:
inflate [something] (with [air/gas])
Erro comum:
Learners often confuse inflate (make bigger by filling with air) with expand (get bigger in general).
Sinônimos
blow up (Common and informal for filling with air.)
|
pump up (Emphasizes using a pump, especially for tires.)
Antônimos
deflate (Let air out so it becomes less firm or smaller.)
Colocações
inflate a balloon
|inflate a tire
|inflate a tyre
|inflate an air mattress
|inflate a life jacket
|inflate a raft
|inflate a pool
|inflate with a pump
|inflate by mouth
|inflate to the recommended pressure
Temas
daily_life
|objects
|transport
|sports
Exemplos
- Can you inflate the bicycle tires before we leave?
- She inflated the balloon and tied it with a ribbon.
- The life jacket inflates automatically when it hits the water.
Exemplos para estudantes
- I need to inflate this ball.
- He inflated the tire with a pump.
Verbo
B2
action
2
make seem bigger than true
To exaggerate something; to make it look bigger or better than it is.
Padrão de uso:
inflate [something] (by [amount/method])
Erro comum:
Don’t use inflate for normal growth (e.g., 'sales inflated' usually suggests exaggeration or artificial increase).
Sinônimos
exaggerate (General term for making something sound bigger or worse.)
|
overstate (Often used in formal contexts like reports and arguments.)
Antônimos
downplay (Make something seem less important or serious than it is.)
|
understate (Describe something as less than it really is.)
Colocações
inflate expectations
|inflate the figures
|inflate the numbers
|inflate a claim
|inflate a story
|inflate a report
|inflate costs
|inflate the importance
|inflate the risk
|inflate the problem
Temas
communication
|business
|media
Exemplos
- The company was accused of inflating its earnings in order to attract investors.
- Online reviews can inflate expectations and lead to disappointment.
- He inflated his role in the project when he talked to the client.
Exemplos para estudantes
- Don’t inflate the story.
- She inflated her achievements on her résumé.
Verbo
business
B2
process
3
cause prices to rise
To make prices or costs go up, often too much.
Padrão de uso:
inflate [prices/costs/values]
Erro comum:
Inflate is usually transitive here (inflate prices), while inflation is the general economic process.
Sinônimos
drive up (Emphasizes pushing something higher, often by external pressure.)
|
raise (Neutral term; may not imply artificiality.)
Antônimos
reduce (Make prices or costs lower.)
|
lower (Bring prices or costs down.)
Colocações
inflate prices
|inflate costs
|inflate rents
|inflate property values
|inflate the value
|inflated prices
|inflated costs
|artificially inflate
|inflate the market
|inflate the price of
Temas
business
|economics
|money
Exemplos
- The new fees will inflate the total cost of the trip.
- Speculation can inflate housing prices in popular areas.
- Extra middlemen inflated the price of basic supplies.
Exemplos para estudantes
- High demand can inflate prices.
- This tax will inflate costs.
Verbo
technical
C1
process
4
swell by air or gas inside
To make part of the body swell by putting air or gas into it (medical).
Padrão de uso:
inflate [organ/structure] | inflate [balloon/cuff] in [body part]
Sinônimos
distend (Medical term for swelling outward from internal pressure.)
|
expand (General term; less specifically about air or gas.)
Antônimos
collapse (Lose internal air/pressure and fall inward.)
|
deflate (Let air out of an inflated structure.)
Colocações
inflate the lungs
|inflate the stomach
|inflate a catheter balloon
|inflate the cuff
|inflate with air
|inflate with gas
Temas
health
|medicine
Exemplos
- The doctor asked him to inflate his lungs fully for the test.
- The nurse inflated the cuff to measure his blood pressure.
- During the procedure, a small balloon is inflated to widen the artery.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
inflate
AFI
GB/ɪnflˈeɪt/
US/ɪnflˈeɪt/
Sílabas e tonicidade
in - flate (2 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (flate)
Formas da palavra
Verb
- Base: inflate
- 3rd Person Singular: inflates
- Present Participle: inflating
- Past: inflated
Família de palavras
Expressões
inflate with pride
1/ɪnflˈeɪt wˈɪθ pɹˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
become visibly very proud
To feel very proud and show it.
Exemplos
- He inflated with pride when his name was announced.
- She inflated with pride at the praise from her boss.
- The parents inflated with pride as their daughter accepted the award.