Standard Lemma guide

deflation

noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪˈfleɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 F L EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An act or instance of deflating.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The loss caused utter deflation and disappointment among the fans.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: inflation

2

noun

Meaning 2

A decrease in the general price level, that is, in the nominal cost of goods and services as well as wages.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: economics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: inflation

3

noun

Meaning 3

An economic contraction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, euphemistic, uncountable

Topics: economics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The removal of soil and other loose material from the ground (or another surface) by wind, leaving it exposed to erosion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the act of letting the air out of something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: inflation

Broader terms: decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down

6

noun

Meaning 6

a contraction of economic activity resulting in a decline of prices

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: disinflation, inflation

Broader terms: economic process

7

noun

Meaning 7

(geology) the erosion of soil as a consequence of sand and dust and loose rocks being removed by the wind

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a constant deflation of the desert landscape

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: erosion, eroding, eating away, wearing, wearing away

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English deflate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English deflation From deflate + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

51 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Georgian: დაჩუტვა (dačuṭva) — instance of deflating
  • Romanian: dezumflare — instance of deflating
  • Russian: выка́чивание (vykáčivanije) — instance of deflating
  • Arabic: انْكِماش (inkamaša) — decrease in the general price level
  • Bulgarian: дефлация (deflacija) — decrease in the general price level
  • Catalan: deflació — decrease in the general price level
  • Chinese Mandarin: 通貨緊縮 /通货紧缩 (tōnghuò jǐnsuō) — decrease in the general price level
  • Chinese Mandarin: 通縮 /通缩 (tōngsuō) — decrease in the general price level
  • Czech: deflace — decrease in the general price level
  • Dutch: deflatie — decrease in the general price level
  • Estonian: deflatsioon — decrease in the general price level
  • Finnish: deflaatio — decrease in the general price level
  • French: déflation — decrease in the general price level
  • Galician: deflación — decrease in the general price level
  • German: Deflation — decrease in the general price level
  • Greek: αποπληθωρισμός (apoplithorismós) — decrease in the general price level
  • Hindi: अपस्फीति (apasphīti) — decrease in the general price level
  • Icelandic: verðhjöðnun — decrease in the general price level
  • Indonesian: deflasi — decrease in the general price level
  • Interlingua: deflation — decrease in the general price level
  • Italian: deflazione — decrease in the general price level
  • Japanese: デフレーション (defurēshon) — decrease in the general price level
  • Japanese: 通貨収縮 (tsūka jūshuku) — decrease in the general price level
  • Japanese: 収縮 (jūshuku) — decrease in the general price level
  • Khmer: អប្បផរណា (ap pak por ro nar) — decrease in the general price level
  • Korean: 디플레이션 (dipeulleisyeon) — decrease in the general price level
  • Korean: 디플레 (dipeulle) — decrease in the general price level
  • Korean: 통화 수축 (tonghwa suchuk) — decrease in the general price level
  • Korean: 통화 축소 (tonghwa chukso) — decrease in the general price level
  • Malay: deflasi — decrease in the general price level
  • Norwegian: Deflasjon — decrease in the general price level
  • Polish: deflacja — decrease in the general price level
  • Portuguese: deflação — decrease in the general price level
  • Russian: дефля́ция (defljácija) — decrease in the general price level
  • Russian: сниже́ние цен (snižénije cen) — decrease in the general price level
  • Serbo-Croatian: deflacija — decrease in the general price level
  • Serbo-Croatian: дефлација — decrease in the general price level
  • Spanish: deflación — decrease in the general price level
  • Swedish: deflation — decrease in the general price level
  • Thai: เงินฝืด (ngən-fʉ̀ʉt) — decrease in the general price level
  • Thai: ภาวะเงินฝืด (paa-wá-ngən-fʉ̀ʉt) — decrease in the general price level
  • Ukrainian: дефля́ція (defljácija) — decrease in the general price level
  • Vietnamese: (sự) giảm giá — decrease in the general price level
  • Indonesian: deflasi — economic contraction
  • Russian: дефля́ция (defljácija) — economic contraction
  • Catalan: desinflament — removal of soil and other loose material from a surface by wind
  • Chinese Mandarin: 吹蝕 /吹蚀 (chuīshí) — removal of soil and other loose material from a surface by wind
  • French: dégonflement — removal of soil and other loose material from a surface by wind
  • French: dégonflage — removal of soil and other loose material from a surface by wind
  • Swedish: deflation — removal of soil and other loose material from a surface by wind
  • Ukrainian: дефля́ція (defljácija) — removal of soil and other loose material from a surface by wind