inflate

/ɪnˈfleɪt/ verb

Definition

› [I or T] to increase the value or price of something, or to become more valuable or expensive: People who bought homes years ago have seen the values inflate and property taxes rise with the inflation. Weak export sales have helped to inflate inventories.

› [T] to make a number, price, or value higher than it should be or than is reasonable, sometimes in order to deceive people: Insurers fear that people will make up or inflate claims.

→ Compare deflate, reflate

(Definition of inflate verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)