Definition of inflammatorynext
as in provocative
tending to excite political disorder or insurrection the restless crowd was stirred up by the inflammatory rhetoric

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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 inflammatory Researchers believe the polyphenols in prunes blunt the inflammatory pathways that drive bone loss after menopause. Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026 Better known by her pseudonymous social media handle Jerry Gogosian, Helphenstein left behind a complicated legacy, puncturing art world pieties with both satirical and serious memes and occasionally making inflammatory statements. Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 3 June 2026 These medications may reduce inflammatory signals in joint tissue that contribute to arthritis pain and progression. Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 3 June 2026 Getting moderate exercise can help support your body's inflammatory response. Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for inflammatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflammatory
Adjective
  • The most incendiary musical comedy of 2025 will advance to the off-Broadway Orpheum Theatre in October, and its creators are marking the show’s return with, not surprisingly, two provocative events.
    Frank DiGiacomo, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
  • Some of my last few films can be considered somehow provocative.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • He was convicted of seditious conspiracy for acts related to the January 6th attack and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 2 June 2026
  • He was found guilty by a federal jury on July 24, 1981, on seven counts of weapons, explosives and seditious conspiracy charges, then sentenced to 55 years in prison.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • Cellphone video captured a spectacular, pre-Fourth of July display of fireworks on a Tennessee highway Saturday evening as a trailer carrying the incendiary haul erupted, authorities said.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 8 June 2026
  • But the Chemical Weapons Convention does prohibit such incendiary agents from being used in civilian areas, and that is what Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have accused Israel of doing.
    Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 6 June 2026

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“Inflammatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflammatory. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

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