v.
Pronunciation: di- ' fl ā t, ˌ d ē -
Function: verb
Inflected Form: de · flat · ed ; de · flat · ing
Etymology: de- + -flate (as in inflate )
Date: 1891
transitive verb
1 : to release air or gas from < deflate a tire>
2 : to reduce in size, importance, or effectiveness < deflate his ego with cutting remarks>
3 : to reduce (a price level) or cause (a volume of credit) to contract
intransitive verb : to lose firmness through or as if through the escape of contained gas
synonyms see CONTRACT
– de · fla · tor also de · fla · ter \ - ' fl ā -t ə r \ noun