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as in firebrand
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
blamed the protests on outside incendiaries who were intent on overthrowing the government
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in provocative
tending to excite political disorder or insurrection
recklessly made incendiary remarks during a period of heightened racial tensions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incendiary
Brad Lendon, CNN, 7 Sep. 2024
But the only traditional incendiaries in the story are the radical Protestant preacher Anne Askew (Erin Doherty), a friend of Katherine’s, and Henry’s minion, Bishop Stephen Gardiner, played by an inquisitorial Simon Russell Beale.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 14 June 2024
Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Kirk, too, was someone who understood the power of that culture, using viral sound bites and incendiary podcast monologues to wield it.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incendiary
Noun
Ukrainian officers also accused Russia of using incendiaries in attacks on the city of Bakhmut last year.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 7 Sep. 2024
But the only traditional incendiaries in the story are the radical Protestant preacher Anne Askew (Erin Doherty), a friend of Katherine’s, and Henry’s minion, Bishop Stephen Gardiner, played by an inquisitorial Simon Russell Beale.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 14 June 2024
Adjective
His confrontational style inspired a generation of young conservatives to assertively defend their values and to mock liberals, even in sometimes incendiary ways.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Kirk, too, was someone who understood the power of that culture, using viral sound bites and incendiary podcast monologues to wield it.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incendiary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incendiary
Noun
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The new era of Survivor goes hard and fast, and the best way to stave off Jeff Probst’s itchy torch snuffer?—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
25 Sep. 2025
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And for all the talk from the tribe about how much everybody loved each other, there were no hugs or goodbyes when Nicole’s torch was snuffed, just awkward silence — from both her and everybody else.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The clearest firebrand of the group is Suzanne (Mia Barron), whose patronizing politeness will eventually give way to rage once her views are challenged.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
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That includes collaborations in-the-round with Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff and DeVotchKa, as well as indie firebrands The Flaming Lips, in addition to standard orchestral fare and familiar classical-crossover acts such as Andrea Bocelli and Lindsey Stirling.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Some experts underscored the elevated risk of political violence created by social media, saying its algorithms favor provocative posts that induce user engagement but exacerbate political division.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
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The cinematic feature directed by Jordan Hemingway sees Twigs and her friend book a room with an unlucky fellow’s credit card as the scene evolves into a provocative hotel rendezvous sans fellow.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The rebels, led by Deepak Rauniyar and Binod Paudel, fired off a scathing letter to the Academy demanding a full investigation and threatening to blow up Nepal’s Oscar dreams entirely.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Sep. 2025
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Directed by the iconic Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another stars DiCaprio as Bob Ferguson, a vigilante and former rebel who is on the run from Penn's Officer Steven Lockjaw.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In 2005, she was diagnosed again—this time with inflammatory breast cancer.—
Jonell Deshotel as Told to Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
24 Sep. 2025
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Not only was the story completely false, but the language used by the Daily Mail has been deliberately inflammatory, crafted purely for clickbait, clearly designed to fuel online division.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Farage, the forever insurgent, has always been able to avoid the choices that come with power.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
21 Sep. 2025
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The film was released to relatively little publicity by Angel Studios, the insurgent independent production house behind surprise, Christian box office hits like Sound of Freedom and The Chosen.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kirk was a provocateur who at times made statements that some called racist, misogynistic, anti-immigrant and transphobic.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Twin Cities,
22 Sep. 2025
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Kirk was a provocateur who at times made statements that some called racist, misogynistic, anti-immigrant and transphobic.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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America seems unlikely to be made great again by the demagogues of white nationalism, who cannot help but channel fury over irreversible decline at those who have been working hard, through either literal or spiritual immigration, to become American.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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Our shrinking attention span has left us vulnerable to demagogues and misinformation from every direction.—
Doug McIntyre,
Oc Register,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incendiary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incendiary. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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