1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
the paper bag ballooned and blew away as the wind lifted it skyward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of balloon
The area where the spiders ballooned is about 40 miles from Philadelphia near the New York and New Jersey state lines.
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Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 19 Sep. 2025
Since Musallam took over as CEO following founder Robert McKeon’s death in 2012, Veritas’ assets have ballooned from $2 billion to $54 billion.
—Hank Tucker, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Since the change of administrations, ground beef costs have ballooned nearly 19% — translating to $1-plus price tags increases at the grocery store.
—Claire Malon, Boston Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
During this time, the project's price tag ballooned from around $55 million to over $95 million, largely due to inflation.
—Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloon
Verb
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In 2024, that number increased just slightly—by less than 1%—compared to the year before.—
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Johnson’s detractors accuse him of championing Bukele despite his increasing abuses of power.—
Verb
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Keta’s long layers fell on the sides of her face, while the back was noticeably teased and twisted with spiky pieces protruding out.—
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His bones visibly protruded from his thin skin, according to court documents.—
Verb
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Courtney Stodden rose to fame as a tabloid fixture and reality TV star after marrying 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison at age 16.—
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Despite having full-time employment, many struggle to save enough for housing due to stagnant wages and rising expenses.—
Verb
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Schneemann poked a single into right field to bring home both Hedges and Kwan.—
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While some are panicking about the potential event, others are poking fun at the prediction.—
Verb
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Humberto is expected to bring long period swells to the Atlantic Coast, creating life-threatening surf and currents, according to the National Weather Service.—
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Both swell and surf will begin to gradually lower late Tuesday.—
Verb
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RAKxa Jai, meanwhile, focuses on holistic wellness, with teams of staff offering a bulging book of treatments, including crystal healing, traditional Ayurvedic treatments and Marma Healing massage.—
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The Saetbyol-4, which shares the Global Hawk's bulging fuselage design, is a reconnaissance aircraft while the Saetbyol-9, like the Reaper, is an attack drone.—
Verb
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This project secures funding through the Critical Design Review phase, procurement of long lead material for qualification, and will enable increased and accelerated capacity for solid rocket motor production, according to a press release.—
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Government initiatives have accelerated this shift.—
Verb
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Xi promised that within a decade, China will expand wind and solar power capacity to more than six times its 2020 level.—
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The bags contain lightweight material that absorb water and expands and can be stacked just like regular bags, as can the barriers which come in a variety of lengths.—
Cite this Entry
“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloon. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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