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

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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 Analysts are watching how the broader electorate will react to candidates chosen by Republican primary voters, and how intensely the contests could inflame ongoing tensions in the state over the 2020 election. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 Chad Gable spent much of last year recovering from surgery after inflaming lucha libre fans with his El Grande Americano gimmick. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Many entries seem almost purposely crafted to inflame every lingering conservative grievance over the pandemic. — Megan McArdle, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026 Just the spirit of countercultural rebellion harnessed and inflamed. — Will Cady, SPIN, 30 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
  • Georgia prosecutors have charged Deja Coleman, his mother, with second-degree murder, infuriating child safety advocates who say that hot car deaths are nearly always accidental and tragic.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Under its previous operator, Mountain View had been plagued by riots that drew negative press and infuriated locals.
    — Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • Washoe County Sheriff's Office Now combined, the Fred Mountain Fire and the Bug Fire have burned more than 57,000 acres with no containment as of Tuesday night, according to fire officials.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • On the image-generation front, Google is burning tokens like never before.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • The two women who won jury trials in their lawsuits against the county are angered that the county has opted to appeal.
    — Sean Emery, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Public backlash is prompting San Diego to reopen 13 restrooms in Mission Bay Park this Friday after a six-week closure during the heart of summer that angered city residents and tourists.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 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
  • Pyroclastic flows – fast-moving clouds of scorching gas, ash, and rock – could devastate territory near the caldera.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The fire began Sunday morning in the Los Padres National Forest southeast of the neighborhood of Loma Vista and quickly scorched 400 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 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
  • Hal is arrested, per his plan, as John meets and sleeps with a mysterious woman, Zoe (Poorna Jagannathan), and uses Hal’s ring to light her cigarette after the fact.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
  • But his appointment also lit a fire among a group of academics - and others - who believe Cambridge and other universities and public bodies are striving too hard to increase their diversity.
    — Rupert Neate, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of light

Browse Nearby Words

infixing
inflame
inflamed
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Cite this Entry

“Inflame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflame. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inflame for Spanish Speakers

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