inflammation

noun in·flam·ma·tion \ ˌin-flə-ˈmā-shən \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Examples: inflammation in a Sentence

Definition of inflammation

1 : a local response to cellular injury that is marked by capillary dilatation, leukocytic infiltration, redness, heat, and pain and that serves as a mechanism initiating the elimination of noxious agents and of damaged tissue

2 : the act of inflaming : the state of being inflamed

See inflammation defined for English-language learners

See inflammation defined for kids

Examples of inflammation in a Sentence

The drug is used to reduce inflammation.
inflammations of the throat and ears

Recent Examples of inflammation from the Web

Bats in Thailand have been linked with a wide range of viruses—including Nipah, which can cause brain inflammation, and others that are similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)—Lipkin says.

— dina fine maron, Scientific American, "Rescued Thai Boys Being Watched for Illnesses Caught from Cave Animals," 10 July 2018
But 2012 and ’13 saw him frequently sidelined as his body broke down—hamstring strains, shoulder inflammation, an ankle sprain that eventually became ankle surgery.

— jon tayler, SI.com, "Matt Kemp Shed Weight, Ego and Injury to Thrive for the Club He Never Wanted to Leave," 4 July 2018
These can cause irritation and inflammation, making your skin condition worse.

— dr. leslie baumann, miamiherald, "How to use a skin cleanser and see results," 3 July 2018
Besides triggering bodywide inflammation, hookah use is associated with the spread of infections such as herpes and HPV from several smokers using a single mouthpiece.

— Houston Chronicle, "Hookah health news from your very own galaxy," 1 July 2018
Josh Fields was placed on the 10-day disabled list because of right-shoulder inflammation on Thursday, throwing the back of the Dodgers’ bullpen into a state of flux.

— mike digiovanna, latimes.com, "Loss of Josh Fields throws off Dodgers' bullpen," 29 June 2018
After their trip, scientists will take a look inside different organs like the liver and spleen, to better understand any links between inflammation, altered metabolism, and changes to the microbiome.

— megan molteni, WIRED, "NASA's Astro-Mice Will Test What Space Does to Your Gut," 28 June 2018
Acne is a pain in the ass to treat because of its many components: blocked pores, excess sebum, inflammation, and proliferation of bacteria.

— meirav devash, Allure, "Everything You Need to Know About CBD Oil in Beauty Products," 25 June 2018
For example, silica, which makes up around 60 percent of windblown desert dust, is known to cause chronic lung inflammation, lung cancer and autoimmune diseases.

— Smithsonian, "How Climate Changed-Fueled “Mega Droughts” Could Harm Human Health," 12 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inflammation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of inflammation

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

INFLAMMATION Defined for English Language Learners

inflammation

noun

Definition of inflammation for English Language Learners

: a condition in which a part of your body becomes red, swollen, and painful

INFLAMMATION Defined for Kids

inflammation

noun in·flam·ma·tion \ ˌin-flə-ˈmā-shən \

Definition of inflammation for Students

: a bodily response to injury or disease in which heat, redness, and swelling are present

Medical Dictionary

inflammation

noun in·flam·ma·tion \ ˌin-flə-ˈmā-shən \

medical Definition of inflammation

: a local response to cellular injury that is marked by capillary dilatation, leukocytic infiltration, redness, heat, pain, swelling, and often loss of function and that serves as a mechanism initiating the elimination of noxious agents and of damaged tissue