variants
or less commonly enflame
inflamed also enflamed; inflaming also enflaming
1
a
: to excite to excessive or uncontrollable action or feeling
especially
: to make angry
b
: to make more heated or violent : intensify
insults served only to inflame the feud
2
: to set on fire : kindle
3
: to cause to redden or grow hot from anger or excitement
a face inflamed with passion
4
: to cause inflammation in (bodily tissue)
1
: to burst into flame
2
: to become excited or angered
3
: to become affected with inflammation
inflamer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of inflame in a Sentence
His angry speech inflamed the mob.
ideas that inflame the imagination
His comments have inflamed an already tense situation.
inflaming the passions of the mob
a chemical that can inflame the skin
Recent Examples on the Web
Her response inflamed the protesters further and, in the end, the world’s longest-serving female head of government had to quickly flee the country with her sister to India before crowds stormed her official residence, smashing walls and looting its contents.
—
Helen Regan, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
That was triggered by the weaker-than-expected jobs report, which inflamed fears about the health of the U.S. economy and raised expectations around Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in the coming months.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2024
The political atmosphere in Europe was further inflamed by conflicts between individual European countries, including Germany and France, England and Germany, and Russia and Austria.
—Christine Adams / Made By History, TIME, 17 July 2024
Those tensions have only been inflamed by the party’s recent statewide losses: the governorship, attorney general, and secretary of state.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflame 
Helen Regan, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
That was triggered by the weaker-than-expected jobs report, which inflamed fears about the health of the U.S. economy and raised expectations around Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in the coming months.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2024
The political atmosphere in Europe was further inflamed by conflicts between individual European countries, including Germany and France, England and Germany, and Russia and Austria.
—Christine Adams / Made By History, TIME, 17 July 2024
Those tensions have only been inflamed by the party’s recent statewide losses: the governorship, attorney general, and secretary of state.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflame
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inflame.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Inflame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflame. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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Medical Definition
inflame
verb
in·flame
in-ˈflām 
inflamed; inflaming
: to cause inflammation in (bodily tissue)
inflame the sinuses
: to become affected with inflammation
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