BALLOON Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

balloon

verb

Definition of balloon

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

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

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.

Recent Examples of balloon The parents of a 7-year-old Michigan boy whose weight ballooned to 255 pounds due to a steady diet of chips, French fries and apple juice are accused of killing their son. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026 New York spending on these adult daycares ballooned in recent years, with the bill to taxpayers nearly quadrupling from 2018 to 2024. — Laura Geller, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Amid explosive fire conditions in southern Utah, the Cottonwood fire has ballooned to more than 144 square miles, damaging a ski resort, forcing evacuations and grounding firefighting aircraft in dangerous winds. — Ty Oneil, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026 After gold was discovered in 1862, the now-small town ballooned to 7,000 residents, with another 25,000 living in the surrounding hills, according to the Idaho City Historical Society. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for balloon

Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloon

Verb

The state also has goals, including some that have been in place since 2012, that set declining limits on smog-causing pollutants and required automakers to sell increasing percentages of electric and hybrid vehicles through 2025.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
The news came a day before Liz reported on Hong Kong’s beleaguered cinema market finally having an upturn, with overall box office revenues increasing by 25% thanks to a strong line-up of local and Hollywood releases.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 3 July 2026

Definition of increase

Verb

The abdomen may significantly protrude, pushing the diaphragm upward and making breathing more difficult.

— Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Rugged slabs of rock speckled with glaciers and snowfields protrude through the clouds and overlook the entry to Grand Teton National Park.

— Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026

Definition of protrude

Verb

Roki Sasaki’s abysmal appearance faded away in the Dodgers’ 12-7 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday night, but only after the National League West leaders rose from a catatonic first inning.

— Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
The rising death toll comes as criticism of the government’s response continues to intensify.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026

Definition of rise

Verb

Calderón, a big, bald man wearing a gold chain and cross-shaped earrings, sat off to the side, amid an entourage of muscular assistants in polo shirts, poking at his phone.

— Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Find a location with an unobstructed view to the southeast, where the full moon’s orangey disk will poke above the horizon minutes after the moonrise time — though exactly when depends on local terrain and buildings.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of poke

Verb

This kind of abuse — and the swelling cost of cyberscams to victims around the world — has led to periodic crackdowns.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
Short sessions may help with lower-extremity swelling in otherwise healthy people, and MD Anderson Cancer Center has pointed to low-intensity vibration as potentially useful for cancer patients maintaining bone and muscle health.

— Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026

Definition of swell

Verb

The government is also working with private developers, banks and the real estate sector to accelerate temporary and permanent housing solutions.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Years of crippling sanctions have paralysed the economy as accelerating bouts of mass nationwide protests have been put down by security forces with increasing force — culminating in the killing of thousands of demonstrators in January.

— Parisa Hafezi, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of accelerate

Verb

The council would then examine the details surrounding the change before passing an ordinance expanding those voting rights.

— Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Since then, the United States has expanded from 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast to 50 states stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and beyond.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of expand

Browse Nearby Words

ball of wax

balloon

ballooned

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloon. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of balloon

verb

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