inflame
Americanverb (used with object)
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to kindle or excite (passions, desires, etc.).
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to arouse to a high degree of passion or feeling.
His harangue inflamed the rabble.
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to incite or rouse, as to violence.
His words inflamed the angry mob to riot.
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(of an emotion, as rage) to cause to redden or grow heated.
Uncontrollable rage inflamed his face.
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to cause inflammation in.
Her eyes were inflamed with crying.
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to raise (the blood, bodily tissue, etc.) to a morbid or feverish heat.
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to set aflame, ablaze, or afire; set on fire.
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to redden with or as with flames.
The setting sun inflames the sky.
verb (used without object)
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to burst into flame; take fire.
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to be kindled, as passion.
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to become hot with passion, as the heart.
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to become excessively affected with inflammation.
verb
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to arouse or become aroused to violent emotion
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(tr) to increase or intensify; aggravate
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to produce inflammation in (a tissue, organ, or part) or (of a tissue, etc) to become inflamed
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to set or be set on fire; kindle
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(tr) to cause to redden
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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inflamesimple
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inflamessimple
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have inflamedperfect
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has inflamedperfect
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am inflamingprogressive
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are inflamingprogressive
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is inflamingprogressive
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have been inflamingperfect progressive
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has been inflamingperfect progressive
Past
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inflamedsimple
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had inflamedperfect
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was inflamingprogressive
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were inflamingprogressive
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had been inflamingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inflame
First recorded in 1300–50; in- 2 + flame; replacing Middle English enflammen, from Middle French enflammer, from Latin inflammāre “to kindle”
Explanation
To inflame is to make feelings stronger, or stir them up. Reminding your grandfather about the time his car was stolen may just inflame his anger. Getting a parking ticket might inflame your frustration, and when a city imposes a curfew it may inflame the community's feelings of resentment. Another way to inflame is more literal: to cause a physical condition that involves swelling, pain, and redness. Scratching your poison ivy rash will only inflame it in the long run, even if it briefly brings relief. Inflame is from the Latin inflammare, "set on fire" and "excite."
Vocabulary lists containing inflame
Inferno Lingo: Fire Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Novel Study: Julius Caesar, Act 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Canyon's Edge
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Most are part of a healthy ecosystem, but a smaller group can thrive below the gumline, inflame the gums and drive diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
But its real goal was obvious: to inflame the far right with this vandalism.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
It’s easy to see how videos could inflame heated debates over managing such animals, in California and beyond.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2026
They had warned of a diminished ability to respond should major global events inflame threats at home and abroad.
From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2026
Alice Paul had known that the words would inflame the public and get a response.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
The mice missing girdin developed severe gut inflammation and an altered microbiome, and many died from sepsis, a dangerous condition caused by an uncontrolled immune response that inflames the entire body and harms vital organs.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2025
Probiotic supplements may be used to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis, a dangerous infection affecting premature infants that inflames and kills intestinal tissue.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 26, 2023
“It inflames old feelings of revenge that might have been forgotten about,” Col.
From New York Times ● Jan. 6, 2023
Former president Donald Trump, who inflames passions in both parties, stayed out of the state.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 5, 2022
This specimen carries her parasol on her left, toward the gate and her fiance, though the sun inflames her right.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
This decision inflamed conflicts that soon led to the Civil War.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
Smith has been sidelined since early June because of what he described as an inflamed disk.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Yet it can become inflamed, causing appendicitis – a potentially life-threatening condition.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
The buildup to the match was inflamed by FIFA’s surprising decision on Sunday to reinstate American striker Folarin Balogun, who was originally suspended after receiving a red card in the previous game.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
So it’s in the spirit of a scientific experiment that I present myself at the office, wondering if my speckled and inflamed appearance will be enough to get me sent home.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
“It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation. No one is going to convince the other. The only communication should be the officers issuing commands.”
From Salon ● Jan. 29, 2026
The pattern is familiar: Elites hesitate to name antisemitism clearly for fear of inflaming tensions, only to discover that ambiguity emboldens extremists rather than restraining them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025
Lithuania shut its border with Belarus in October after dozens of balloons loaded with illegal cigarettes entered its airspace, forcing several airports to close and inflaming tensions between the two countries.
From Barron's ● Dec. 1, 2025
The barrage of accusations has put Sheinbaum in a delicate position: She is obliged to defend immigrants in the United States, as Mexican leaders have always done, but cannot be seen as inflaming bilateral tensions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2025
“All that...sunlight. It assaults the eye, is what. And it seems to be inflaming the populace.”
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
