inflated

/ɪnˈfleɪɾɪd/

/ɪnˈfleɪtɪd/

Other forms: inflatedly

If it's puffed up and overrated, it's probably inflated — a simple adjective that means blown out of proportion or exaggerated.

Think of a balloon. You blow and blow, and it gets bigger and bigger. Sometimes if you blow too much it takes on a distorted shape, or even explodes. Now use that same imagery, but swap the balloon for someone's ego or the price of U2 concert tickets. Both personalities and prices can get inflated beyond reasonableness — the personalities with pretentious hot air and the prices with unnecessary cost.

Definitions of inflated

1. adjective

   enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness
   synonyms: hyperbolic

   increased

   made greater in size or amount or degree
2. adjective

   pretentious (especially with regard to language or ideals)
   synonyms: high-flown, high-sounding

   pretentious

   making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction