How to pronounce inflation
Say it like in-FLAY-shun. Inflation has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FLAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce inflation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- FLAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Inflation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- FLAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of inflation
American and British speakers say inflation in essentially the same way: /ˌɪnˈfleɪʃən/ in the US and /ɪnˈfleɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-FLAY-shun.
What does inflation mean?
- a general and progressive increase in prices“in inflation everything gets more valuable except money”
- (cosmology) a brief exponential expansion of the universe (faster than the speed of light) postulated to have occurred shortly after the big bang
- lack of elegance as a consequence of being pompous and puffed up with vanity
Where does inflation come from?
From Middle English, borrowed from Old French inflation (“swelling”), from Latin īnflātiō (“expansion", "blowing up”), from īnflātus, the perfect passive participle of īnflō (“blow into, expand”), from in (“into”) + flō (“blow”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with inflation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of inflation.
Questions about saying inflation
How do you pronounce inflation?
Say in-FLAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪnˈfleɪʃən/. In British English it is /ɪnˈfleɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in inflation?
Inflation has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FLAY). Broken into parts: in · FLAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say inflation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪnˈfleɪʃən/ and the British form is /ɪnˈfleɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.