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
  • If Skydance increases spending on content, that could push its competitors to also invest more, Laurent Yoon, senior analyst at the research and brokerage firm Bernstein, told me.
    — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Though this increases the X-Y dimensions, Apple worked closely with the system team to ensure the phones' internals could support this slightly larger package.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 12 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
  • The agreement comes as electricity demand rises across the United States, driven partly by expanding data centers, manufacturing and electrification.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Dyerville Loop Road begins along the Eel River in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, then rises into the foothills of Humboldt County, California before dropping back down to the river near Fort Seward.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 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
  • These wetlands, connected to the river, act as natural reservoirs that absorb and hold water, especially when the river swells with meltwater or heavy rain.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Each month, roughly a dozen are consistently in the audience, though the number swells depending on the agenda.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 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
  • Even without their local ties, Gash are a shoe-in at Eaux Claires, the Wisconsin music festival founded by Justin Vernon that expands on the experimental curiosity and unhurried approach at the heart of Bon Iver’s latter career.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The presentation comes as Netflix separately expands its AI ambitions, including its acquisition of Ben Affleck’s filmmaking technology company InterPositive.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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