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.

Investors, for their part, know they are unlikely to get all the shares they ask for in the IPO, so traditionally they inflate the number they want.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

Both rappers have accused each other of using bots to artificially inflate their listening figures - something that was mentioned in Drake's lawsuit against his own label, Universal Music Group, which was eventually thrown out.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

The researchers say this interaction could partly inflate the estimated genetic influence of IQ, potentially by as much as 15 percentage points.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2026

“We will continue to hold accountable insurers that knowingly submit inaccurate or unsupported diagnoses to improperly inflate reimbursement,” Shumate said in a statement.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

It would inflate the balloon with a huge burst of power, smoothing out the lumpiness of the universe in the same way a breath of air smooths out the wrinkles of a balloon.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife