# inflation

/ˌɪnˈfɫeɪʃən/ (US) · /ɪnflˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inflation
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. rising prices

noun · CEFR B2

a general increase in prices and a fall in the purchasing value of money.

For teachers: a persistent increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.

- High inflation means that your weekly groceries cost much more than they did last year.
- Central banks often raise interest rates to combat rising inflation and prevent the economy from overheating.

Usage: Usually uncountable when referring to the general economic trend.

### 2. filling with air

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the act of filling something with air or gas so it gets bigger.

For teachers: the act of expanding or distending an object by injecting it with a gas or liquid.

- The inflation of the life raft took only a few seconds after he pulled the cord.
- Proper inflation of the aircraft's tires is critical for ensuring a safe landing on wet runways.

Usage: Can be countable or uncountable depending on whether it refers to the process or a specific instance.

### 3. academic grades

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

when things like school grades increase over time so they seem less special.

For teachers: the tendency for academic marks or evaluations to rise over time, resulting in a perceived loss of value in high grades.

- Because of grade inflation, almost everyone in the class received an A.
- Employers expressed concern that grade inflation at top universities makes it difficult to distinguish truly exceptional candidates from the rest of the cohort.

### 4. the early universe

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a very fast expansion of the universe that happened just after it began.

For teachers: a theory of exponential expansion of space in the early universe, occurring shortly after the Big Bang.

- Scientists study cosmic inflation to understand how the universe grew so large so quickly.
- The theory of inflation explains why the cosmic microwave background radiation appears so uniform across the observable sky.

## Examples

- High inflation makes it harder for families to afford groceries.
- The central bank raised interest rates in an attempt to curb rising inflation and stabilize the economy.
- Economists distinguish between cost-push inflation, driven by rising production costs, and demand-pull inflation, which occurs when consumer spending outpaces the economy's productive capacity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.