noun
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the act of inflating or state of being inflated
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economics a progressive increase in the general level of prices brought about by an expansion in demand or the money supply ( demand-pull inflation ) or by autonomous increases in costs ( cost-push inflation ) Compare deflation
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informal the rate of increase of prices
Other Word Forms
- anti-inflation noun
- noninflation noun
- overinflation noun
- reinflation noun
- self-inflation noun
Etymology
Origin of inflation
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English inflacio(u)n, from Latin inflātiōn-, stem of inflātiō, equivalent to inflāt(us), past participle of inflāre “to blow on or into, puff out” + -iō -ion; inflate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This see-saw effect, which protected portfolios for decades, broke in 2022, when the Federal Reserve started raising interest rates to fight inflation—and both stocks and bond prices fell.
From Barron's
Rising oil prices could reduce the likelihood of Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, as inflation has remained above the 2% target.
From Barron's
This see-saw effect, which protected portfolios for decades, broke in 2022, when the Federal Reserve started raising interest rates to fight inflation—and both stocks and bond prices fell.
From Barron's
What could it mean for inflation, interest rates, the cost of fuel?
From BBC
A surge in energy costs could stoke inflation, threatening the global economy and prompting central banks to halt interest-rate cuts.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
