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
As plaque and bacteria build up, the gums become inflamed.
—
Mark Gurarie, Health, 29 May 2025
Pretoria must now accept that Washington will inflame racial tensions in South Africa for the foreseeable future.
—Sizwe Mpofu Walsh, Time, 23 May 2025
The focus on the former president's health was reignited by the promotional tour for the book and inflamed again when it was announced that Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
—James Powel, USA Today, 22 May 2025
Jackson further inflamed Trump's base after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for potentially hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants.
—Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflame
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Mark Gurarie, Health, 29 May 2025
Pretoria must now accept that Washington will inflame racial tensions in South Africa for the foreseeable future.
—Sizwe Mpofu Walsh, Time, 23 May 2025
The focus on the former president's health was reignited by the promotional tour for the book and inflamed again when it was announced that Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
—James Powel, USA Today, 22 May 2025
Jackson further inflamed Trump's base after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for potentially hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants.
—Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 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 5 Jun. 2025.
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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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