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
Earlier Thursday in Munich, several incendiary devices were thrown at a construction site near a building where several companies, including from the defense sector, are located, the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office said. — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 For May, a marketplace for monetizing secrets and destroying trust was only one component of a larger machine of institutional destruction, an incendiary device that would melt governments into liquid crypto-anarchy. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 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
  • Ancient viewers would have relied on beeswax and tallow candles, incense burners and torches.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Getting to finalize major touchpoints such as the torch relay, the mascot and the medal designs while preparing to makeover existing venues signal excitement and confidence in the organization’s process.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of torch
Noun
  • One was a $750,000 donation to the California Republican Party and the other a $100,000 check to Reform California, the political organization run by firebrand conservative Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-Valley Center.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Mélenchon, 75, a veteran anti-capitalist firebrand, finished third in the 2022 presidential election and fourth in both 2017 and 2012.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of firebrand
Adjective
  • Even the film’s potentially provocative examination of open marriages falls by the wayside, replaced by an increasingly strained subplot involving Haru contending with Mila’s unexpected arrival.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The panel wrapped with a provocative audience question from an NBCUniversal exec who asked the panel what the best path forward for her company would be.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of provocative
Noun
  • The rebels have also intensified their attacks across the border into Saudi Arabia, attacking its oil facilities and preventing its tankers from passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, through which around 12% of global trade passes.
    — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • While the British prevailed over the rebels, the uprising laid the foundations for African nationalism.
    — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • The strongest evidence sits with clinic-grade lasers used by veterinarians as an adjunct for arthritis, wound healing and inflammatory conditions.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Piker, for his part, has become a regular target for Republicans who are doing their best to make sure his inflammatory comments are tied to Democrats, in particular Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul el Sayed.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of inflammatory
Noun
  • Rancho libertarians, like their Scotch-Irish cousins from another mother, are forever skeptical of government, respect insurgents who want to take on the establishment, love their people and subscribe to a bootstraps approach to life.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Politicians such as El-Sayed, Lawrence, Zohran Mamdani in New York and James Talarico in Texas are not Democratic insurgents.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of insurgent
Noun
  • Some of Abiy’s critics now see him as a provocateur whose actions could lead to hostilities in the Horn of Africa.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Linnetz relishes in his identity as a provocateur, a detail about him which has, in fact, produced more viral moments in five years than most people have in their entire career as a designer.
    — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of provocateur
Noun
  • The country is in a fix about as bad as any demagogue is likely to put it in.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • This included understanding the history of democratic ideas and practical governance, as well as the need to protect minority groups and the dangers posed by demagogues.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 Sep. 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 Oct. 2026.

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