Word family noun inflation inflatable deflation reflation adjective inflatable inflated inflationary deflationary reflationary verb inflate deflate reflate
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdeflatede‧flate /ˌdiːˈfleɪt, dɪ-/ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]SMALL if a tyre, balloon etc deflates, or if you deflate it, it gets smaller because the gas inside it comes out OPP inflate → go down, let downRegisterIn everyday British English, people usually say an object goes down rather than deflates:It looks like the air bed has gone down.2 [transitive]CONFIDENT# to make someone feel less important or less confident She was deflated when Fen made no comment on her achievement.3 [transitive]PROVE to show that a statement, argument etc is wrong Simkin hoped to find a way to deflate his opponent’s argument.4 [intransitive, transitive]PE technical to change economic rules or conditions in a country so that prices fall or stop rising→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
deflate• But if it doesn't happen there is no way Lewis will be deflated.• Equally, it is no coincidence that we hear a good deal less of it now that the bubble is deflating.• But from our many interviews with sportspeople we have learned that the mystical aspects of sport can also be deflated and suppressed.• The report will deflate arguments by city officials that they cannot reduce pollution.• At the time I was deflated, but I have since realized that Don was giving me a star to steer by.• Learning new skills can boost egos that were deflated by losing a job.• He woke up aching all over - somehow his airbed had deflated in the night and there was nothing to cushion him from the cold ground.• The balloon gradually lost altitude as we deflated it and came in to land.• The Republican takeover of Congress deflated that notion, though, and he no longer stresses it.• Kennedy, seeking to deflate the pressure, resorted to a tricky tactic.• He was like a slightly deflated version of John Hall, only much more cheerful.From Longman Business Dictionarydeflatede‧flate /ˌdiːˈfleɪt, ˌdɪ-/ verb [intransitive, transitive]ECONOMICS1if a government deflates the economy, it reduces the demand for goods and services by raising interest rates and taxes, limiting wage increases, reducing government spending, or a combination of theseRaising interest rates too high could deflate the economy into a serious financial crisis.2if the price of something deflates, it goes downIs the company’s stock likely to deflate further? → compare reflate→ See Verb tableOrigin deflate (1800-1900) de- + inflate 