balloons

verb

present tense third-person singular of balloon
1
as in increases
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 protrudes
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 balloons Cut with a curved outer seam that balloons slightly through the thigh before tapering at the ankle, the shape is all about creating volume. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 29 Dec. 2025 The mid-rise jeans have an exaggerated barrel silhouette that balloons out at the knee and tapers into a wide-leg fit at the ankle. — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025 The specter of inflation will only reappear if the Fed balloons the money supply. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balloons
  1. increases
  2. protrudes
  3. rises
  4. pokes
  5. swells
  6. bulges
  7. expands
  8. bags
Verb
  • But using spreadsheets or paper and pen is time-consuming and increases the risks of errors.
    — Dana Miranda, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • An optional expansion module, sold separately, increases capacity to 10L for a dinner, game night or larger gathering.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of increases
Verb
  • Ping Ping, the male, has dark black circles around his eyes, while Fu Shuang, the female, has a forehead that protrudes a bit, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Other animals on-site include a stable full of horses and Cowboy the tortoise, who is about the size of a lawnmower and whose head protrudes from what looks like a Venus flytrap made of bone.
    — Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of protrudes
Verb
  • Pay that rises with credentials, a clear schedule and predictable work can do more for retention than a signing bonus.
    — Alok Chanani, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Step up to the more powerful rear-drive model and output rises to 282 hp, with a larger 77-kWh battery.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of rises
Verb
  • And yet there’s this piece in the policy which pokes its head [and forces them to find a surrogate in Texas].
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The International Kazoo Championship pokes a little fun at the rigidity of the main stage.
    — David Alm, Longreads, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of pokes
Verb
  • Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the population swells in the summer months.
    — Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Seaglider is designed to handle ocean swells up to a meter and a half high.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of swells
Verb
  • According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a brain aneurysm is a weakened area in an artery that bulges outward and fills with blood.
    — Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of bulges
Verb
  • Alabama facility expands production Lockheed Martin broke ground on an expansion of Building P-20 in Troy that will add 47,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • His comments come as Mastercard expands its involvement in digital assets, including through its acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK, which was completed in August.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of expands
Verb
  • Sierra closed his eyes when Rifkin brought the evidence bags up to his attorneys.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Beabadoobee bags her first chart crown in Australia as Pylon (via Dirty Hit/Inertia) debuts in the top spot.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of bags

Browse Nearby Words

ballooning
balloons
ballot
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Cite this Entry

“Balloons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balloons. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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