WordValehyperinflation
extremely rapid and out-of-control price increases
In more detail
1. (noun) extremely rapid increase in prices and decrease in the value of money, usually caused by government printing too much money
2. (noun) a situation where inflation becomes so severe that the economy becomes unstable and normal economic activity becomes very difficult
Examples
- 1. During hyperinflation in Zimbabwe, prices doubled every few days.
- 2. The country's hyperinflation made it impossible for people to buy basic goods.
How to use hyperinflation
Hyperinflation refers to extremely severe inflation—typically above 50% per month—that fundamentally destabilizes an economy and makes currency nearly worthless. It is used in economic and historical contexts to describe exceptional monetary crises, not ordinary price increases. The term implies both rapid price acceleration and severe economic dysfunction.
Common phrases
- hyperinflation occurs
- suffer from hyperinflation
- hyperinflation crisis
- period of hyperinflation
- hyperinflation rates
Synonyms
runaway inflation · price spiral · economic collapse · monetary crisis
Opposites
deflation · price stability
Word family
hyperinflationary (adjective)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'hyperinflation' loosely to mean any rapid inflation or high inflation rates, when it actually refers to an extreme and typically catastrophic level that disrupts normal commerce.
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