inflame

verb

in-ˈflām How to pronounce inflame (audio)
variants also enflame
Definition of inflamenext
1
as in to infuriate
to make angry the newspaper editorial inflamed her enough to inspire her to dash off a letter to the editor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to burn
to set (something) on fire a carelessly tossed cigarette inflamed the papers in the trash can

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inflame Just the spirit of countercultural rebellion harnessed and inflamed. — Will Cady, SPIN, 30 July 2026 Congressman Miller will continue to vigorously defend his reputation against false and reckless allegations designed to inflame public opinion rather than reflect reality. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 Cubital tunnel syndrome occurs when the ulnar nerve, which passes through a tunnel on the inside of the elbow, becomes inflamed, swollen and irritated, Johns Hopkins explains. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026 The prospect of a Red Sea standoff adding to the one in the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea, where Ukrainian attacks have hit Russian fuel tankers, has further inflamed energy markets, dragging down stocks and bonds in the process. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for inflame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflame
  1. infuriate
  2. burn
  3. anger
  4. ignite
  5. enrage
  6. scorch
  7. irritate
  8. light
Verb
  • But some one-time backers have been infuriated by his support last month for a law that would prevent the arrest of ultra-Orthodox Jews for avoiding the military draft.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The trade infuriated fans and likely delighted the MLB executives and owners who are thirsty to implement a hard salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement.
    — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • Aerial images obtained by CNN show entire residential blocks burned and the surrounding vegetation charred.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In the first two months of this wildfire season, nearly 500,000 hectares of land have burned across Europe.
    — , CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich faces a fight for political survival in elections in October after angering his fellow West Bank settlers by voting not to punish ultra-Orthodox Jews who refuse to serve in the military.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The actor also objected to being a locker room scene that required full-frontal nudity, which allegedly angered Russell, TMZ reported.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • The attack ignited a massive blaze at gasoline-storage tank that burned through the night into Tuesday morning, according to the Civil Defense, a first responders’ agency.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Hightowers ignite the trenches, effectively trapping the greybeards between a wall of stone and a wall of fire.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignite
Verb
  • North Carolina and Bill Belichick got zero, no doubt enraging girlfriend Jordon Hudson.
    — Greg Cote August 2, Miami Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Fauci pleaded the Fifth a number of times, which appears to have enraged a lot of people.
    — Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026
Definition of enrage
Verb
  • The massive wildfire outside the southwestern city of Bordeaux, which has scorched about 420 square kilometers (162 square miles), uncovered what is believed to be World War II-era ammunition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As well as fueling the fires scorching Europe’s land, the latest heatwaves have also put unprecedented pressure on the continent’s water sources – and the vital infrastructure that relies on them.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of scorch
Verb
  • Lemon water can irritate teeth or stomach in large amounts and may need to be limited in people with advanced kidney disease who have fluid or potassium restrictions.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Few things at airports irritate customers like filthy toilets or water on the restroom floor.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • The façade was lighted from below by the exterior lights that specified the building, separated it from the other night buildings.
    — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Partnership feels friendly as nurturing Moon lights your 7th House of Partnership, trining harmonious Venus in your 11th House of Friends and Community.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of light

Browse Nearby Words

infixing
inflame
inflamed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inflame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflame. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on inflame

Nglish: Translation of inflame for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All