anti-inflammatory
adjective
an·ti-in·flam·ma·to·ry
ˌan-tē-in-ˈfla-mə-ˌtȯr-ē 
ˌan-tī-
variants
or less commonly anti-inflammation
ˌan-tē-ˌin-flə-ˈmā-shən,
ˌan-tī-
: counteracting inflammation : used to prevent or reduce inflammation
anti-inflammatory painkillers
anti-inflammatory effects
an anti-inflammation diet
anti-inflammatory
noun
plural anti-inflammatories
Examples of anti-inflammatory in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Overall, Stefanski notes that coffee is a rich source of polyphenols, which are a group of plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
—
Laura Schober, Health, 23 Oct. 2025
May Reduce Joint Pain Thanks to the fruit’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, consuming pomegranate seeds may help reduce swelling or joint pain.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
Crampton prioritized anti-inflammatory meals, cutting out all refined sugar and dairy.
—Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Glacial water helps rebalance minerals, squalane restores suppleness, and olive leaf extract soothes redness and helps keep breakouts in check with its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial properties.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anti-inflammatory
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Laura Schober, Health, 23 Oct. 2025
May Reduce Joint Pain Thanks to the fruit’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, consuming pomegranate seeds may help reduce swelling or joint pain.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
Crampton prioritized anti-inflammatory meals, cutting out all refined sugar and dairy.
—Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Glacial water helps rebalance minerals, squalane restores suppleness, and olive leaf extract soothes redness and helps keep breakouts in check with its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial properties.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anti-inflammatory
Cite this Entry
“Anti-inflammatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-inflammatory. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
anti-inflammatory
1 of 2 adjective
an·ti-in·flam·ma·to·ry
-in-ˈflam-ə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr-
variants
also anti-inflammation
: reducing or counteracting inflammation
Ibuprofen was the anti-inflammatory drug most commonly used, but others, including naprosyn, also were taken.—Laurie McGinley, The Wall Street Journal
Laurie McGinley, The Wall Street JournalMost anti-inflammatory drugs target the arachidonic acid cascade, which produces two major mediators of inflammatory responses, prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Nonsteroidal drugs can dam only one side of the cascade—they block production of prostaglandins but leave the leukotrienes unaffected. Steroidal drugs block both routes, but their side effects can make them an undesirable, though sometimes irreplaceable, treatment.—L. Davis, Science News
L. Davis, Science NewsA recent boon to the eczema-prone is a growing array of over-the-counter cortisone anti-inflammation applications.—Paul G. Donohue, The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-News
Paul G. Donohue, The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-Newsanti-inflammatory
2 of 2 noun
plural anti-inflammatories
: an anti-inflammatory agent : a drug (as aspirin or ibuprofen) that reduces inflammation
Without anti-inflammatories, gouty attacks subside on their own—but may require several painful weeks, as opposed to the day or two required with anti-inflammatories.—Harvard Medical School Health Letter
Harvard Medical School Health LetterLove words? Need even more definitions?
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