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
Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial tubes — the passages responsible for carrying air to the lungs — become inflamed.
—
Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Irreversible pulpitis occurs when inflamed dental pulp cannot heal, leading to the removal of the tooth.8
Other Common Causes
Other common causes of tooth pain include injuries to your jaw or mouth, earaches, or TMD—a temporomandibular disorder that affects the joints in your jaw and skull.
—Laura Schober, Health, 16 Oct. 2024
Washington must help all parties minimize the likelihood of miscalculation and work to stop the erosion of deterrence that has inflamed violence.
—Mona Yacoubian, Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2024
Moreover, a potential global trade war under a Trump presidency could inflame inflationary pressures at a time when the Federal Reserve has spent more than two years putting out the fire.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflame 
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Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Irreversible pulpitis occurs when inflamed dental pulp cannot heal, leading to the removal of the tooth.8
Other Common Causes
Other common causes of tooth pain include injuries to your jaw or mouth, earaches, or TMD—a temporomandibular disorder that affects the joints in your jaw and skull.
—Laura Schober, Health, 16 Oct. 2024
Washington must help all parties minimize the likelihood of miscalculation and work to stop the erosion of deterrence that has inflamed violence.
—Mona Yacoubian, Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2024
Moreover, a potential global trade war under a Trump presidency could inflame inflationary pressures at a time when the Federal Reserve has spent more than two years putting out the fire.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inflame
Articles Related to inflame
Dictionary Entries Near inflame
Cite this Entry
“Inflame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflame. Accessed 3 Dec. 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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