inflationary

adjective

in·​fla·​tion·​ary in-ˈflā-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce inflationary (audio)
: of, characterized by, or productive of inflation
inflationary policies

Examples of inflationary in a Sentence

He blames the bad economy on the government's inflationary policies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The inflationary pressures were compounded this year with the start of the Iran war. — Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 First, since the escalation of Middle East conflicts in February of this year, international oil prices have trended higher, reigniting inflationary pressures. — CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 But between everyday expenses straining borrowers' budgets in today's inflationary landscape and the many other economic issues that are looming, finding the extra money to accelerate the repayment process isn't necessarily easy. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 During those inflationary regimes, art returned about 7% a year above inflation, wine 5% and stamps 9%. — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inflationary

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inflationary was in 1920

Phrases Containing inflationary

Rhymes for inflationary

See All Rhymes for inflationary

Browse Nearby Words

inflation
inflationary
inflationary gap
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inflationary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflationary. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

inflationary

adjective
in·​fla·​tion·​ary in-ˈflā-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce inflationary (audio)
: of, relating to, or causing inflation
an inflationary policy
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