incendiary 1 of 2

noun

Definition of incendiarynext
1
as in torch
a person who deliberately and unlawfully sets fire to a building or other property firefighters caught the incendiary, who was watching the effects of his handiwork

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2
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incendiary

2 of 2

adjective

in-ˈsen-dē-ˌer-ē How to pronounce incendiary (audio)
as in provocative
tending to excite political disorder or insurrection recklessly made incendiary remarks during a period of heightened racial tensions

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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 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
The incendiary device consisted of fireworks and a flammable liquid, authorities said, per ABC7. — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026 One person was arrested after setting off an incendiary device outside a federal building in Manhattan, FBI Director Kash Patel said. — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for incendiary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incendiary
  1. torch
  2. firebrand
  3. provocative
  4. rebel
  5. inflammatory
  6. insurgent
  7. provocateur
  8. demagogue
Noun
  • Lesnar ultimately lost in his hometown of Minnesota to Oba Femi and passed the torch to his successor once again.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • But Middle East Institute Senior Fellow Jaser AbuMousa told Fox News Digital his election is not exactly a passing of the torch.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of torch
Noun
  • The speech that followed created the perception of her as a firebrand, but those who have followed her career closely have found a more circumspect figure.
    — Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 July 2026
  • Widdecombe’s death has shaken British politics, silencing a longtime conservative voice from Parliament and Europe who later became a Reform UK firebrand remembered by friends for personal warmth and sharp humor.
    — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of firebrand
Adjective
  • The manager, Jordan Perry, whose theater has a history of provocative messaging, didn’t respond to Jewish Telegraphic Agency requests for comment.
    — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Increasingly, the answer comes in the form of an intimacy coordinator — a role that Araki, long known for embracing provocative themes, employed for the first time on this project.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of provocative
Noun
  • The rebels, meanwhile, saw a golden opportunity to reopen an airspace long shut by Saudi Arabia.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The group is led by Iyad Ag Ghaly, a veteran of the Tuareg rebel group and a former Malian diplomat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • It’s used for inflammatory conditions as well as tissue repair, tendon and ligament healing.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Chronic stress has implications for general health too, and can cause inflammatory and autoimmune symptoms.
    — Erin Clabough, The Conversation, 31 July 2026
Definition of inflammatory
Noun
  • An endorsement in this race could signal a preference for either the insurgent progressive wing of the party or for the more moderate establishment.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026
  • Hong, who has run as an insurgent candidate, tried to cast herself as the one who could bring together Republicans, Democrats, independents and democratic socialists.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 July 2026
Definition of insurgent
Noun
  • Music, Fashion, Film is a definite left-turn from the pop provocateur’s recent work, but its earnest blend of cheek and vulnerability is Charli through and through.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026
  • Until, that is, the play’s rather retrograde climax, when the playwright’s provocateur wildness goes limp.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of provocateur
Noun
  • The Constitution was crafted out of fear — fear of concentrated power, factional dominance, corruption, demagogues, unchecked executives, and the use of public office for personal gain.
    — Paul Oestreicher, Hartford Courant, 10 June 2026
  • But those standards can be easily stretched by demagogues, and a simple majority on the committee is enough to ban a party, though a panel of nine Supreme Court justices can overturn the decision on appeal.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Definition of demagogue

Browse Nearby Words

incendiaries
incendiary
incense
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Cite this Entry

“Incendiary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incendiary. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of incendiary for Spanish Speakers

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