balloon
6 synonyms for balloon, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A flexible bag that inflates with air or gas, used as a toy, decoration, or for flight.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A flexible bag that inflates with air or gas, used as a toy, decoration, or for flight.
“The child cried when her helium balloon floated away from the garden.”
How to use balloon
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
balloon payment
costs ballooned
hot air balloon
Etymology
From Italian pallone, "large ball," ultimately from the same Germanic root as English "ball."
Full origin of balloon →Frequently asked questions
What does “balloon” mean?
The word “balloon” means a flexible bag that inflates with air or gas, used as a toy, decoration, or for flight. In plain terms, an inflatable object that floats or flies, or (as a verb) to grow suddenly and dramatically bigger.
How do you pronounce “balloon”?
“Balloon” is pronounced buh-LOON (/bəˈlun/ in IPA).
How do you use “balloon” in a sentence?
Here is “balloon” used in a sentence: “She let the balloon go and watched it drift into the clouds.”
What part of speech is “balloon”?
Depending on how it is used, “balloon” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “balloon” come from?
The word “balloon” comes from Germanic. From Italian pallone, "large ball," ultimately from the same Germanic root as English "ball.".
Is “balloon” a common word?
“Balloon” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “balloon” have?
“Balloon” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a flexible bag that inflates with air or gas, used as a toy, decoration, or for flight.
What is the difference between a "balloon" and a "blimp"?
A balloon is a flexible bag that inflates with air or gas and generally has no engine, drifting or rising freely. A blimp is a powered, steerable airship. Both can fly, but a blimp has propulsion and steering while a balloon typically does not.
What is a "speech balloon" in a comic strip?
In comics, a balloon is the rounded outline that encloses a character's spoken words. A variant with a bumpy or cloud-like edge, sometimes called a thought balloon, is used to show what a character is thinking rather than saying.
What words commonly go with "balloon"?
Common noun collocations include "hot-air balloon," "water balloon," "balloon animal," and "party balloon." As a verb it often appears in phrases like "costs balloon" or "balloon out of control."
