incendiary

American  

[in-sen-dee-er-ee] / ɪnˈsɛn diˌɛr i /

adjective

1. used or adapted for setting property on fire.

   incendiary bombs.

2. of or relating to the criminal setting on fire of property.

3. tending to arouse strife, sedition, etc.; inflammatory.

   incendiary speeches.

4. tending to inflame the senses.

   an incendiary extravaganza of music and dance.

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noun

incendiaries plural

1. a person who deliberately sets fire to buildings or other property, as an arsonist.

2. Military. a shell, bomb, or grenade containing napalm, thermite, or some other substance that burns with an intense heat.

3. a person who stirs up strife, sedition, etc.; an agitator.

incendiary British  

/ ɪnˈsɛndɪərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the illegal burning of property, goods, etc

2. tending to create strife, violence, etc; inflammatory

3. (of a substance) capable of catching fire, causing fires, or burning readily

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noun

1. a person who illegally sets fire to property, goods, etc; arsonist

2. (esp formerly) a person who stirs up civil strife, violence, etc, for political reasons; agitator

3. Also called: incendiary bomb.  a bomb that is designed to start fires

4. an incendiary substance, such as phosphorus

Etymology

Origin of incendiary

1600–10; < Latin incendiārius, equivalent to incendi ( um ) a fire ( incend ( ere ) to kindle ( in- in- ² + -cendere, transitive v. from base of candēre to shine, be hot; see candent, candid, candor) + -ium -ium ) + -ārius -ary

Explanation

An incendiary device is a bomb. An incendiary statement is, "That idea is absolute garbage." Both are likely to produce an explosion of one kind or another. Incendiary means more than flammable. It means explosive, in both a literal and figurative way. If you're a radical who changes the world by exciting people and makes as many enemies as followers, you're an incendiary figure. The speeches you give that rile people up are incendiary. The fires you set are also incendiary, and by setting them you are also likely to be called an incendiary — someone who burns things, more commonly known as an arsonist.

Example Sentences

Steve Burke, editor-in-chief of the media channel Gamers Nexus, has garnered millions of views on YouTube videos bearing incendiary titles such as “Nvidia’s AI Bubble” and “The Torture Will Continue Until Shareholder Value Improves.”

From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026

The actors relish the pesky, droll, frequently adorable, sometimes incendiary individuality of their roles.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

In October Polish and Romanian authorities said they thwarted a Russian plot to send incendiary packages through a Ukrainian courier service, including devices intended to ignite in Bucharest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

Salah's incendiary Elland Road outburst in December, when he claimed after being dropped that he had been "thrown under the bus" by Slot and Liverpool, only added to the air of unrest surrounding the club.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

Park’s spirit, his dignity, and his incendiary information gave Shin something that was both enthralling and unbearable: a context, a way to dream about the future.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• inflammatory
• provocative
• subversive
• treacherous