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

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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 But the eleventh-hour blitz of No On 3 ads that Keep Florida Clean funded, warning of the greed of Big Weed, inflamed voters’ private worries of societal decay. — Christopher Spata, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 Anthropic updates its policies to bar users being cruel to Claude, inflaming a debate about whether the company’s concern for ‘model welfare’ is wise. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 Then there’s the new electric Jaguar, a machine that inflamed the Internet and became the subject of global controversy when its conceptual precursor was revealed in late 2024. — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026 Democrats have been shut out of power in the House, Senate, and presidency since January 2025—the kind of situation that can inflame populist sentiment in an opposition party. — Thomas Shull, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 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
  • The podcaster Candace Owens drove those theories, infuriating her former employer, Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The decision has infuriated Democrats and threatened the party’s path to winning a Senate majority.
    — Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • Pre-soirée, however, Vogue couldn’t resist the chance to catch a private moment with Carey and ask her some of our burning questions.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Power lines, vehicles, machinery, burning of debris and campfires can spark fires year-round.
    — Virginia Iglesias, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • But others, particularly in Missouri, have been concerned and angered to see that their bills will soon go up, the second price hike for this year.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Some like Bowdon are angered that Kennedy has yet to ban mRNA vaccines.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • Poland is in the throes of a constitutional crisis as a battle over the future of the country’s highest court ignites another confrontation between the country’s president and prime minister.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Sims, who finished with 39 yards on only four carries, delivered an 8-yard touchdown run to ignite host Morgan Park to a 40-16 victory over Oak Forest in a Class 5A first-round playoff game at Stagg Stadium in Chicago.
    — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of ignite
Verb
  • This thrilled hardcore Journey fans, but enraged the other members of the group.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2026
  • After the release of the Pentagon Papers, which was a secret history of the Vietnam War compiled by figures in the Johnson administration, Richard Nixon is enraged.
    — Dustin DeSoto, Vox, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of enrage
Verb
  • Perilous jungles, scorching deserts and frozen tundra slowed him down, but bureaucratic holdups brought his adventure to a halt for long periods.
    — Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Perilous jungles, scorching deserts and frozen tundra slowed him down, but bureaucratic red tape often brought his adventure to a halt for long periods.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of scorch
Verb
  • That mismatch can lead to issues ranging from irritating residue to expensive repairs.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2026
  • These extra steps are irritating, as non-Amazon ereaders tend to be much more forgiving when loading your own media.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Thank you very much for waking me up and lighting a fire under me.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The cake, decorated with yellow frosting and a white horse at the center and lit with 31 long candles, is seen on a table at the birthday celebrations.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 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 11 Nov. 2026.

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