ballooning 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of ballooningnext
as in dilating

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ballooning

2 of 3

noun

as in soaring

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ballooning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of balloon
1
as in increasing
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point the paper bag ballooned and blew away as the wind lifted it skyward

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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 ballooning
Adjective
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images The House of Representatives adjourned Wednesday, leaving Washington and almost certainly punting action on a ballooning artificial intelligence crisis until after November's midterm election. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
Their goal was to map where these compact systems can actually turn a profit without being crushed by ballooning construction costs. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026 But the poori remains the same, made with whole wheat flour, water and a touch of salt, gently pressed and then fried, ballooning into a gorgeous orb. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
Golden State continued its momentum into the third quarter, ballooning its lead to as large as 26. — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 25 June 2026 The Carys set out from the camp at the west end, near Curtain Falls, to explore the lake, which comprises a main channel plus a number of large bays ballooning out on each side, several of them named after the days of the week. — Hank Bradshaw, Outdoor Life, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ballooning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballooning
  1. dilated
  2. soaring
  3. increasing
  4. protruding
  5. protuberant
  6. gliding
  7. rising
  8. poking
Adjective
  • There she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a progressive heart muscle disease.
    — Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • CT scans showed a full stomach, suggesting the boy had feasted before the sacrificial ceremony, as well as a dilated esophagus consistent with vomiting.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of dilated
Noun
  • Yet the ensuing media coverage sent the rapper’s profile soaring.
    — Naveen Basavaraj, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And this isn't the first time Sydney sent a company's stock price soaring.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of soaring
Verb
  • By merging the two failing car companies, Marchionne created the seventh-largest vehicle manufacturer in the world, increasing Fiat’s value more than tenfold.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The company has been gradually increasing its use of AI across back office and customer-facing roles and has introduced an AI chatbot to its website to help customers plan their trips.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of increasing
Verb
  • The 10-month-old boy had a deep puncture wound in his upper chest area, while the 3-year-old girl had an inner organ protruding out of a chest-area wound.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • When a switch is at rest, a protruding piece of the plastic stem keeps the switch’s two leaves from making contact.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of protruding
Adjective
  • Lu, who has protuberant light brown eyes, small black ears and a floppy tongue, loves to snuggle with her four-legged foster siblings and stretch out in the sun, according to the contest website.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • And the rear of the case is deeper to accommodate a protuberant rear camera—hinting that the next iPad will see a big camera upgrade.
    — David Phelan, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2022
Definition of protuberant
Noun
  • Visitors especially enjoy paragliding and hang-gliding in the area, as well as canoeing and hiking all around the Valley.
    — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 July 2026
  • And in 2022, Ristroph studied the surpassingly complex aerodynamics of what makes a good paper airplane—specifically what is needed for smooth gliding.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Definition of gliding
Verb
  • The travel-retail business is expected to continue rising due to a confluence of other factors, including the 4 to 5 percent yearly increase of travelers.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Super El Niño impact Inflation in India has been rising for 10 straight months, crossing the central bank's medium-term target of 4% in August, even as economic growth has been resilient so far.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rising
Verb
  • Sometimes only the tips of the reeds and the seed heads were visible, poking above the murky water, and other times the reeds stood fully exposed, with a clear view of crabs clambering around their bases.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Video posted to social media showed one car nearly submerged, with just its sunroof poking above the water, as people moved other vehicles farther from the rising tides.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of poking

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ballooning
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Cite this Entry

“Ballooning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballooning. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ballooning

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