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• v  exaggerate or make bigger
  The charges were inflated
• v  fill with gas or air
• v  cause prices to rise by increasing the available currency or credit
  The war inflated the economy
• v  increase the amount or availability of, creating a rise in value
• v  become inflated
• s  enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness
• s  pretentious (especially with regard to language or ideals)

• They were around in 1773, when England realized that its South Sea Company had falsely inflated its own stock price.
• A wheel without an inflated tire may seem old-fashionedthink wooden buggy wheelsbut the Tweel from Michelin is anything but retro.
• How out of touch is Barack Obama? He's so out of touch that he suggested that if all Americans inflated their tires properly and took their cars for regular tune-ups, they could .

• inflate
• blow up
• expand
• amplify
• balloon
• billow
• hyperbolic
• high-flown
• high-sounding

• deflate

News & Articles

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• Former Maverick commissioner admits taking bribes
  DEL RIO — A former Maverick County commissioner whose arrest last year kicked off a flurry of indictments alleging corruption in the border community admitted Tuesday to taking bribes in exchange for handing out construction contracts inflated by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Prosecutors said that in January 2011, he had two associates sell his truck to a member of the Zetas drug cartel in ...
  June 13, 2013 - San Antonio Express-News
• A Puffed-up Appeal to Job Fears
  A TV ad opposing the Senate immigration bill uses inflated numbers in an oversimplified, one-sided appeal to fears about job security. The ad claims that Congress is considering “adding 33 million foreign job seekers” when 20 million Americans can’t find a job. Both those numbers are inflated and misleading. Furthermore, … More >>
  June 12, 2013 - FactCheck.org via Yahoo! News
• Has Hollywood Gone Frugal? Tips to Save Like Celebs.
  In a recession-scarred economy, even celebrities are spending wisely and using coupons before succumbing to inflated retail prices. Fashion icons Sarah Jessica Parker, Carrie Underwood, and Lady Gaga made BusinessWeek's Most Frugal Celebrities list with their shameless saving strategies. Take a cue from these red carpet cheapskates with their celebrity money-saving tips and tricks.
  June 12, 2013 - LA.com

Quotes

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• Andrew Cuomo in Forbes
  By allowing Washington Mutual to hand-pick appraisers who inflated values, First American helped set the current mortgage crisis in motion,Cuomo said.
• Barack Obama in BusinessWeek
  Obama yesterday said the US would add pressure on China "to make sure that our goods are not artificially inflated in price and their goods" aren't deflated.
• Ramalinga Raju in Reuters
  The gap in the balance sheet has arisen purely on account of inflated profits over a period of last several years,Satyam Chairman Ramalinga Raju said in a statement to stock exchanges on Wednesday.