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
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
Visiting the shrine as prime minister would risk inflaming anger in the region.
—
Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
The latter would inflame fan passion, but the silence from the NFL is already doing that.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2025
Rather than fostering respect and learning from one another, Republican leaders selfishly inflame age-old divisions, then bend a real problem to hammer universities.
—James Druckman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflame
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Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
The latter would inflame fan passion, but the silence from the NFL is already doing that.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2025
Rather than fostering respect and learning from one another, Republican leaders selfishly inflame age-old divisions, then bend a real problem to hammer universities.
—James Druckman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflame
Cite this Entry
“Inflame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflame. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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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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