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inflames

verb

variants also enflames
present tense third-person singular of inflame
1
as in angers
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 burns
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 inflames Asthma is a chronic condition that inflames the airways and can make breathing difficult. — Sanja Jelic, Verywell Health, 29 Apr. 2026 The episode inflames the diplomatic spat between the two countries that began over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about Taiwan. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026 Sensational or biased language inflames opinion before readers learn the facts. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026 Pause before sharing something that inflames fear or confusion. — Audra Berg, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026 This is the kind of journalism that makes people distrust anything the news media tell us, and potentially wrongly inflames the public. — Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026 Why vocabulary avoidance creates the space populists fill European governments spent a decade learning that sloppy language inflames prejudice. — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026 In other words, alcohol disrupts hydration, irritates the gut, inflames blood vessels, messes with sleep, and forces your liver into metabolic overdrive. — Ciara Lucas, SELF, 30 Dec. 2025 Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the sacs in one or both lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflames
  1. angers
  2. burns
  3. infuriates
  4. ignites
  5. enrages
  6. scorches
  7. irritates
  8. kindles
Verb
  • The receptionist angers Kripke and Bert so much that they are picked up by the police — along with Stuart, who had also been arrested.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • According to the myth, Agamemnon angers the goddess Artemis by killing one of her sacred deer.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026
Definition of angers
Verb
  • As political fix-it man, Fox burns some comic octane, his sense of timing and talent for the right gesture put to good use here.
    — Miles Beller, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Building these connections has to begin long before a fire starts, continue while the fire burns and endure long after the fire has ended.
    — Matt Thompson, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of burns
Verb
  • Georgia Supreme Court challenger Jen Jordan infuriates Republicans with a new fundraising email.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
  • To that end, Nate's extravagant wedding infuriates Naz, who thinks Nate has the ability to pay him back but is holding out on him.
    — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of infuriates
Verb
  • Wanda’s obsessive drive to succeed ignites her darker side and self-destructive tendencies that led to her drug addiction.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • As the journey unfolds, romance ignites; alliances form; and hearts are shattered.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignites
Verb
  • The ghostly character doesn't have a particularly significant role in the story, but is a constant nuisance in the tapestry of Hogwarts with antics that include throwing things, making messes, pulling pranks, and generally causing mischief that enrages caretaker Argus Filch.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
  • This is exactly the kind of mainstream Christian view that enrages Allie Beth Stuckey.
    — Hillary Rodham Clinton, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Definition of enrages
Verb
  • The city is bracing for triple digit temperatures this week as another heat wave scorches Central and Eastern Europe, driving fears that levels could drop even further.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
  • France followed its hottest-ever day with yet more brutal temperatures as a deadly heat wave scorches much of western Europe.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Definition of scorches
Verb
  • Knowing that Madame Lalouette’s sales numbers are too high to fire her, Carla attempts to transfer Madame Morel to a different department — a move that irritates her superiors and highlights her weakness.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • With contact dermatitis, a product like a soap or chemical irritates the skin or causes an allergic reaction, leading to symptoms like itching, discoloration, swelling, or even blisters.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritates
Verb
  • While Martin Scorsese called it one of the scariest movies of all time, The Uninvited kindles a wonderful romance between Rick and Stella.
    — Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The star of Big Little Lies confessed her new film, Caught Stealing, kindles a powerful yearning for some aspects of the era.
    — Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Definition of kindles

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Cite this Entry

“Inflames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflames. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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