verb
deflate
dee-FLAYT
verb
1
To let air or gas out of something.
"He deflated the mattress before packing it away."
"The tire slowly deflated overnight."
2
To make someone feel suddenly less confident or excited.
"The harsh review deflated her enthusiasm for the project."
3
To reduce the amount of money in circulation, lowering prices.
"The central bank's policy was designed to deflate an overheated economy."
How to Use Deflate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo let the air out of something — literally, or figuratively out of someone's confidence.
Common pairings
deflate a balloon
deflate morale
deflate the economy
Word Forms
deflated past tense, deflates singular
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Etymology
Coined around 1891 from de- + (in)flate, first used for balloons losing air.