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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 Injection sites can become infected, and veins can become inflamed or blocked by clots. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026 The attack killed at least five lower-ranking Hamas members and inflamed Middle East tensions as Israel continued to wage war against Hamas in Gaza. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 The race has inflamed tensions within the Democratic Party over how to energize liberal voters. — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026 The same driver mutation, when introduced into different genetic backgrounds, elicited different responses in the circuits that govern whether a cell keeps dividing, specializes, becomes inflamed or dies. — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 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
  • Some descendants worry that the new research from Kurin and his colleagues will only infuriate die-hard Jefferson apologists further.
    — Andrew Lawler, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Both sides continue to infuriate the other, as the Jayhawks did last week.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • Some of her other drawings show animals disorientated in burning forests.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The Isles bled scoring chances last year, which eventually weighed on Ilya Sorokin and burned the team down the stretch.
    — Max Bultman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • But Trump’s solution, to import 300,000 metric tons of beef and sell it at a reduced cost, angered American ranchers.
    — Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Rebecca regrets angering Matthijs (Matteo van der Grijn) after putting his daughter in the middle of a heated discussion around the possibility of Matthijs moving to London.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • The flame was soon to ignite when both were cast in the 1937 film Fire Over England.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Her resistance ignites a conflict that exposes hidden secrets, shifting loyalties and traditions that have shaped the family for generations.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of ignite
Verb
  • The drama reignited a heated debate over the tech threatening to put human creatives in the industry out of a job, a nightmare scenario that has enraged some of the most influential minds in Hollywood.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Monken has decided to stick with Deshaun Watson as his QB1, a move that has confused and enraged some of the fanbase.
    — Takashi Williams, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of enrage
Verb
  • This has always been a heated game, the rivalry burning hot long before Kiffin scorched the Earth on his way out the door.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County has been fully extinguished after burning for 23 days and scorching roughly 90,000 acres across North Texas.
    — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of scorch
Verb
  • Its sap may also irritate the skin, and cutting or mowing the plant may create additional exposure risks.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The textured surface made whisking things like custard or béchamel irritating as the whisk repeatedly snagged on the textured surface.
    — Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Jim Harbaugh, enough with the positive enthusiasm and light a fire under your troops.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Members of the Aurora Emergency Management Agency assisted with traffic control and scene lighting throughout the investigation.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 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 23 Sep. 2026.

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