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

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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 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 Relying on remote technical collection could also avoid inflaming opposition by field officers who may not be prepared to take great personal risks to help the private sector. — David S. Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026 The killing of a woman in Okinawa has sparked an outcry across Japan and inflamed long-simmering tensions over the US military presence on the island. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 7 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
  • Trip isn’t the standout role, but Keery handles the character’s exasperated monologues with panache, turning self-defense and infuriated straight-talk into acts of exhilarating sanity.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Cummings said that in January 2021, a friend of Birchmore’s called Stoughton police and told a dispatcher about the illicit relationship, infuriating Farwell.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • Neurons are closer to Formula One race cars than to family sedans, burning fuel at a furious rate and threatening to blow up at any moment.
    — Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Wall Street analysts are trying to discern whether Big Tech will continue to burn cash or not.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of burn
Verb
  • Data center demand began driving up electric bills last year across a 13-state electricity grid stretching from Illinois to New Jersey and Maryland, angering ratepayers.
    — Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, the survey showed that use of the horn is the most common action when drivers consider another driver to be annoying or angering them.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • In modern nuclear weapons, conventional explosives set off a fission reaction—the splitting of big atoms—whose intensity then ignites a fusion reaction that combines light atoms.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • When the tin fog is ignited, the explosion produces a plasma fifty times hotter than the surface of the sun.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of ignite
Verb
  • They were enraged at the way the current administration had decimated progressive policies toward children, women, people of color, gay people and transgender people.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The administration removed hundreds of trees from the East Potomac Golf Links over the weekend, enraging the judge.
    — Julia Boehning, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of enrage
Verb
  • Unprecedented high temperatures scorched the continent from late May until the end of August this year.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Its advanced technology generates precise light pulses that cut through delicate materials such as computer chips and human tissue without scorching surrounding tissue.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of scorch
Verb
  • These extra vessels increase inflammation and irritate surrounding nerves, making daily movement painful.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The key is knowing what’s likely to irritate your skin during a flare and what may spark an issue day-to-day even when your skin is clear.
    — Kara McGrath, Allure, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Swap the throw pillows, drape a blanket over worn spots, add a slipcover or washable topper and change out the rug, curtains or lighting around it.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In practice, hygge can mean curling up with a book and a hot drink, lighting candles for a quiet dinner, gathering friends for a fireside chat without screens or bundling up for a walk in the snow.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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