inflame

verb

in·​flame in-ˈflām How to pronounce inflame (audio)
variants or less commonly enflame
inflamed also enflamed; inflaming also enflaming

transitive verb

1
a
: to excite to excessive or uncontrollable action or feeling
especially : to make angry
b
: to make more heated or violent : intensify
insults served only to inflame the feud
2
: to set on fire : kindle
3
: to cause to redden or grow hot from anger or excitement
a face inflamed with passion
4
: to cause inflammation in (bodily tissue)

intransitive verb

1
: to burst into flame
2
: to become excited or angered
3
: to become affected with inflammation
inflamer noun

Examples of inflame in a Sentence

His angry speech inflamed the mob. ideas that inflame the imagination His comments have inflamed an already tense situation. inflaming the passions of the mob a chemical that can inflame the skin
Recent Examples on the Web Hong Kong’s decision to pass its own security law risks inflaming geopolitical tensions with other major economies. Alan Wong, Fortune Asia, 9 Mar. 2024 Pressure for a cease-fire from an already inflamed public in Muslim countries is expected to mount. Sarah Dadouch, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 One major concern with hoofed animals like cattle and horses is the possibility that the part underneath their hoof gets so inflamed that the hoof comes off altogether, which can happen a week after the fire. Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs Desiree Rios, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 The Hamas terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7 inflamed the Middle East region, igniting yet another war with thousands of victims, both Jewish and Palestinian. Steven Gaydos, Variety, 27 Feb. 2024 Allowing the students to testify about the horrors in the hallway would only serve to inflame the jurors' passions, Lehman argued. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024 Start smart and avoid some of the predictable distractions and divisiveness that inter-generational conflict can inflame. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Instagram and its sister platform, Facebook, have been plagued by accusations of spreading misinformation and inflaming political debates. Mike Isaac, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Keep reading to discover the best body scrubs that didn’t inflame our skin, took care of our dry patches, and left us feeling oh-so soft and smooth. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inflame.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enflamen, from Anglo-French enflamer, from Latin inflammare, from in- + flamma flame

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of inflame was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near inflame

Cite this Entry

“Inflame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflame. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inflame

verb
in·​flame in-ˈflām How to pronounce inflame (audio)
inflamed; inflaming
1
: to set on fire : kindle
2
: to excite to too much action or feeling
especially : to make angry
3
: to cause to redden or grow hot from anger or excitement
4
: to cause inflammation in (bodily tissue)
5
: to become affected with inflammation

Medical Definition

inflame

verb
in·​flame in-ˈflām How to pronounce inflame (audio)
inflamed; inflaming

transitive verb

: to cause inflammation in (bodily tissue)
inflame the sinuses

intransitive verb

: to become affected with inflammation

More from Merriam-Webster on inflame

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