inflammatory

adjective

in·​flam·​ma·​to·​ry in-ˈfla-mə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce inflammatory (audio)
Synonyms of inflammatory
1
: tending to excite anger, disorder, or tumult
inflammatory remarks
argued that the evidence was only inflammatory and not probative of guilt
2
: tending to inflame or excite the senses
3
: accompanied by or tending to cause inflammation
inflammatorily
in-ˌfla-mə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē How to pronounce inflammatory (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of inflammatory

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Examples of inflammatory in a Sentence

She had an acute inflammatory reaction to the drug. He incited the mob with an inflammatory speech.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And a Gallup poll last year revealed a majority of Americans feel that both parties have gone too far in their use of inflammatory rhetoric to criticize their opponents. — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 Bronchial asthma, or simply asthma, is, according to the Cleveland Clinic, a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that causes the breathing tubes in the lungs to swell, narrow, and produce extra mucus. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026 When not making inflammatory political statements, United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe is committed to a miserly mantra of cost-saving prudence. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 These decisions demonstrated a degree of pragmatism beneath the movement’s inflammatory rhetoric. — Laurent Bonnefoy, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inflammatory

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inflammatory was circa 1711

Phrases Containing inflammatory

Rhymes for inflammatory

See All Rhymes for inflammatory

Browse Nearby Words

inflammatorily
inflammatory
inflammatory bowel disease
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inflammatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflammatory. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

inflammatory

adjective
in·​flam·​ma·​to·​ry in-ˈflam-ə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce inflammatory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
1
: stirring up anger, disorder, or rebellion
inflammatory speeches
2
: causing or accompanied by inflammation
inflammatory diseases

Medical Definition

inflammatory

adjective
in·​flam·​ma·​to·​ry in-ˈflam-ə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr- How to pronounce inflammatory (audio)
: accompanied by or tending to cause inflammation
inflammatory diseases

Legal Definition

inflammatory

noun
in·​flam·​ma·​to·​ry
in-ˈfla-mə-ˌtōr-ē
: tending to cause anger, animosity, or indignation
the use of an alias by a defendant is…almost always inflammatory—F. D. Doucette

Note: Evidence, and especially photographic evidence, may be deemed inadmissible if its inflammatory nature seriously outweighs its probative value or relevance. The mere fact that evidence is graphic or gruesome, however, is not enough to render it inadmissible.

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