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 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
  • Sami Zayn, who had recently lost the title, was visibly infuriated by Owens' unexpected return and victory, even injuring Owens' neck during the intense bout.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That infuriated Angels fans, of course, since their team has baseball’s longest playoff drought — 12 years, counting this one.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 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
  • Miramax's explosive success with Pulp Fiction ignited an indie boom, rewrote Oscar campaigns, and blurred the line between independent cinema and the Hollywood mainstream.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Getz enjoys getting brotherly advice from Hoyer, who executed his own semi-rebuild in 2021 and worked under Theo Epstein on the 2012 Cubs rebuild that ignited the trend across baseball.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignite
Verb
  • 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
  • The only reliable way to reach mainstream or even moderate recognition against all the noise is to either carpet-bomb social media with clips or to enrage wide swaths of the public.
    — Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 30 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
  • It’s also formulated without potentially irritating ingredients like phthalates, parabens and mineral oil.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • While retinol on its own can be irritating, especially on sensitive skin, applying it as a moisturizer can help minimize irritation and soothe the skin—a genius product, IMO.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 31 July 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • What were some of the biggest considerations for filming and lighting the underwater sequences?
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • The man is then seen lighting the red Corvette on fire but stays at the scene watching the car burn from across the street, according to police.
    — Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 31 July 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 8 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inflame for Spanish Speakers

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