WordValeinflationary
causing prices to rise
In more detail
1. (adjective) relating to or causing inflation, which is a general increase in prices and a decrease in the purchasing power of money
2. (adjective) tending to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it really is
Examples
- 1. The central bank raised interest rates to fight inflationary pressures in the economy.
- 2. His inflationary claims about his business success made him seem dishonest.
How to use inflationary
Inflationary primarily describes economic conditions involving rising prices and reduced purchasing power, commonly used in financial and policy discussions. The secondary meaning—exaggerating or overstating importance—is less common but appears in literary or critical contexts to describe language, claims, or rhetoric that artificially inflates significance. The economic sense is more formal and technical; the rhetorical sense is more evaluative.
Common phrases
- inflationary pressure
- inflationary spiral
- inflationary period
- inflationary trends
- inflationary language
Synonyms
deflationary (opposite) · price-raising · expansionary · overblown · exaggerated
Opposites
deflationary · understated · modest
Word family
inflate · inflation · inflated
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse inflationary with inflammatory (meaning inciting anger or controversy), though they are unrelated words with different pronunciations and meanings.
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