as in expanded
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in increased
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the number of students who stay home sick balloons every winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in protruded
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
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Recent Examples of ballooned
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2026
The point spread, which opened at Eagles minus-3 when the game was determined last Sunday, has ballooned to Eagles minus-6 as of Friday afternoon, according to Draft Kings.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 10 Jan. 2026
This has likely correlated to the Rock Hall expanding how many artists are put onto the ballot every year, which has ballooned in size due to a more active use of side categories than ever before.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Instead, the initiative paid out more than $21 million in claims in 2021, a figure that quickly ballooned to $104 million in 2024.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
The problem has ballooned since the COVID-19 pandemic, when online studies became more popular.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
The cuts are part of an ongoing effort that began during the pandemic, when many states' budgets ballooned due to federal aid, providing them with an extra incentive to trim state income taxes.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
Net losses ballooned to $298 million from $21 million due mainly to non-cash charges associated with a key refinancing in July.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Reddit reported third-quarter earnings last Thursday and said sales ballooned 68% year-over-year to $585 million while global daily active uniques were up 19% year-over-year to 116 million, topping estimates of 114 million.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
The Nets went cold again as Kawhi Leonard heated up and Harden kept rolling, and the lead ballooned back to 16 in a hurry.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballooned
Verb
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The Wolverines increased their lead to 42 with less than a minute left in the fourth.—
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And while famine has not yet emerged, food insecurity has increased, with most Cubans eating a limited diet and skipping meals.—
Verb
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Spider-y lash extensions protruded from her lash line, reaching to the bottom of her brows; a thin wing of black liner was drawn from the outer corners of her eyes.—
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His bones visibly protruded from his thin skin, according to court documents.—
Adjective
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This $15 option from Basic Concepts attaches to your tray table, creating a swinging hammock that provides relief for tired, swollen feet.—
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Or noticing that your hands feel inexplicably stiff and swollen, making simple tasks like opening a jar or even typing feel unusually difficult.—
Verb
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Waves along the Bay Area coast swelled higher than normal, and king tides continued to push coastal waters higher onto the shore than normal Thursday.—
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Sherrill will inherit a state budget that swelled under Murphy, who delivered on promises to fund the public worker pension fund and a K-12 school aid formula after years of neglect under previous governors, by high income taxes on the wealthy.—
Verb
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Manette poked fun at his famous recliner For over 35 years, Curt has settled into the same teal Bradington Young recliner to eat, watch TV and work out football plays.—
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Fox grabbed Vanderbilt to walk him away, but the Lakers forward poked Sochan in the face with his left index finger.—
Verb
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Rizzi even rose to associate head coach for two years prior to leaving the Dolphins after the 2018 season.—
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Additionally, the December survey showed that respondents’ expectations of losing their job rose to the highest mean probability since April 2025, while the probability of those voluntarily quitting dropped to the lowest rate since July 2023.—
Verb
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Even pre-Covid, his pockets bulged with hand sanitizer.—
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My vitamin cabinet bulged with supplements.—
Adjective
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The distended episodes were littered with what feels like filler, little of which offered much in the way of narrative value.—
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Once per act, a second duo crashes in on Didi and Gogo, providing the tramps’ power balance with a lurid, distended foil.—
Cite this Entry
“Ballooned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballooned. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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