incendiary

[ in-sen-dee-er-ee ]

/ ɪnˈsɛn diˌɛr i /

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See synonyms for incendiary on Thesaurus.com

adjective

used or adapted for setting property on fire: incendiary bombs.

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

tending to arouse strife, sedition, etc.; inflammatory: incendiary speeches.

tending to inflame the senses: an incendiary extravaganza of music and dance.

noun, plural in·cen·di·ar·ies.

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

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

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

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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

Words nearby incendiary

incautious, Ince, incel, in cement, incendiarism, incendiary, incense, incense cedar, incensed, incense tree, incensory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use incendiary in a sentence

Hoyer said the language Greene has used is far more incendiary than what King had said over the years.
House to vote on removing GOP’s Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committees|Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner, Colby Itkowitz|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
That would make sense as a candidate for Congress, but it seems a puzzling thing for someone in private life to delegate people not just to manage your accounts but also to post such incendiary things.
The GOP’s Marjorie Taylor Greene problem is spinning out of control|Aaron Blake|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
Of the various flags paraded around the seat of the US legislative branch, the most incendiary was a battle pennant from the Confederate army.
Decoding the flags and banners seen at the Capitol Hill insurrection|Amanda Shendruk|January 7, 2021|Quartz
Other teams reproduced only the spike protein to analyze for portions that are especially incendiary towards our immune system, which could spark a larger immune response.
Fighting Covid-19 Brought These Lasting Breakthroughs to Science and Medicine|Shelly Fan|December 29, 2020|Singularity Hub

It provided the kindling for an incendiary — and at times strikingly effective — reckoning with American racism.
The Highlight’s best reads of the year|Lavanya Ramanathan|December 24, 2020|Vox
The Wolf of Wall Street is a dangerous, incendiary work of art.
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange|Marlow Stern|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And social media in general has been blamed for making an incendiary situation in the Middle East even more tense.
Grindr and Tinder Help the Holy Land Make Love, Not War|Gideon Resnick|July 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even more incendiary, Barry asserts the FBI was actually trying to kill him.
Speed Read: Marion Barry’s Crazy Memoir|William O’Connor|June 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Does Israel offer up any facts to fortify his incendiary charge?
Cynical Race-Baiting Will Fail to Save the Democrats|Ron Christie|April 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Anwar looks and sounds like an accountant as he addresses a question no more incendiary than monetary debt, with charts included.
Don’t Turn This Malaysia Airlines Pilot Into Flight 370’s Richard Jewell|Michael Daly|March 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Roman capitol fired during the night by an incendiary and consumed.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Sentiments were offered and speeches made, which in other days would have been called incendiary.
The Boys of '61|Charles Carleton Coffin.
The incendiary wagons were filled with the firebrands stamped 1912.
The Blot on the Kaiser's 'Scutcheon|Newell Dwight Hillis
On the night of May 24 the city became a scene of incendiary rage.
Historical Tales, Vol. 6 (of 15)|Charles Morris
The range was obtained by the aviators, and then incendiary bombs were fired.
A Journey Through France in War Time|Joseph G. Butler, Jr.

British Dictionary definitions for incendiary

incendiary

/ (ɪnˈsɛndɪərɪ) /

adjective

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

tending to create strife, violence, etc; inflammatory

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

noun plural -aries

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

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

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

an incendiary substance, such as phosphorus

Word Origin for incendiary

C17: from Latin incendiārius setting alight, from incendium fire, from incendere to kindle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

incendiary

Origin of incendiary

Words nearby incendiary

Words related to incendiary

How to use incendiary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for incendiary

Word Origin for incendiary