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
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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
This year, Lee is proposing to add another $35 million, ballooning the total from $875 million to $2.186 billion during his time in office.
—
Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
But that subsidy ballooned to $430,000 in 2023, during Brainard’s last term in office.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Garcia, his disheveled hair increasingly gray, ballooned in weight and often lost a beat.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
The change would add to the U.S.’s already ballooning deficit and mostly benefit rich Americans, analysts said.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
But that subsidy ballooned to $430,000 in 2023, during Brainard’s last term in office.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Garcia, his disheveled hair increasingly gray, ballooned in weight and often lost a beat.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
The change would add to the U.S.’s already ballooning deficit and mostly benefit rich Americans, analysts said.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for balloon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloon
Verb
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Decades of research and studies in agriculture have increased production across all crops in the U.S., said James, and cannabis can adopt those same technologies.—
Julie Weed,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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David Swartz, analyst with Morningstar who monitors Kohl’s, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY network, that Kohl’s share price has been steadily increasing in recent months.—
Sara Chernikoff,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
Verb
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In Khao Yai National Park near Kong Kaeo Waterfall, for example, researchers found a robber fly attached to the bottom of a leaf with small flower-like growths protruding from its head, thorax and abdomen, earning the new fungus the name Ophiocordyceps floriformis.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 July 2025
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Wilson was sporting a welt on the protruding bone on his left wrist after the game, which quickly received a wrap from the team’s medical staff.—
Chris Biderman
July 8,
Sacbee.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Sales rose 7% in the second quarter compared with Q2 2024 and 12% in 2025’s first half.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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Those are the three names president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski mentioned as rising to the occasion in the bullpen when asked earlier on Monday.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Verb
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This review pokes a useful hole in the breathless reception this film received, while managing to feel fond.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
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The dish is almost a tease, tickling and poking you by showcasing carrots such that here a confident argument is made to herald them in as the pre-eminent salad vegetable.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Oral allergy symptoms include swelling and itching around your mouth, tongue, lips, throat and entire face.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
13 July 2025
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The nonprofit has deployed dozens of volunteers to Texas’ Hill Country, where more than 173 people remain missing and at least 120 have been confirmed dead after the Guadalupe River rapidly swelled beyond its banks on Friday.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Both can affect your quality of life: Atherosclerosis can cause heart attacks, strokes, poor blood flow to the legs, or bulging arteries.—
Alexandria Nyembwe,
Health,
20 July 2025
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Blount, who appeared wearing a white button-down shirt and tie, his hands shackled in front of him, his bulging gut and beige tie spilling over his beige pants, appeared impassive and refused to meet his victim’s gaze as Rothschild addressed him personally.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Our graduates will now re-enter the market faster, prepared to hit the ground running and accelerate their careers.—
Ryan Anderson,
Arkansas Online,
20 July 2025
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Starvation Much of Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland during more than 21 months of war and there are fears of accelerating starvation.—
Nidal al-Mughrabi,
USA Today,
20 July 2025
Verb
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Plans to redevelop and expand Whitefish Bay's Sendik's Food Market would put a new two-story store on a prominent Silver Spring Drive corner just east of the grocer's existing location, which would be demolished and turned into a parking lot.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
26 July 2025
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The 8000 was born after the engineers at GE Aerospace reconfigured the Passport’s software and McCullough’s team expanded the fuel capacity in the wings.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloon. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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