variants
or less commonly enflame
inflamed also enflamed; inflaming also enflaming
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)
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
Iran seeks a deal to steady a troubled economy
Iran’s internal politics are still inflamed over the mandatory hijab, or headscarf, with women still ignoring the law on the streets of Tehran.
—
Matthew Lee and Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Both were enraged by federal actions during a 1992 standoff in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and the 1993 siege of a religious sect’s compound in Waco, Texas, both of which had turned deadly and inflamed far-right fears about federal intrusion on freedoms around guns and religion.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
De Moraes’s most stringent actions have only inflamed Bolsonaro’s followers.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Her gallbladder and liver, which used to be inflamed, are now healthy.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflame
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Matthew Lee and Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Both were enraged by federal actions during a 1992 standoff in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and the 1993 siege of a religious sect’s compound in Waco, Texas, both of which had turned deadly and inflamed far-right fears about federal intrusion on freedoms around guns and religion.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
De Moraes’s most stringent actions have only inflamed Bolsonaro’s followers.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Her gallbladder and liver, which used to be inflamed, are now healthy.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflame
Cite this Entry
“Inflame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflame. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
inflame
verb
in·flame
in-ˈflām 
inflamed; inflaming
: to cause inflammation in (bodily tissue)
inflame the sinuses
: to become affected with inflammation
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