- to arouse or become aroused to violent emotion
- (transitive) to increase or intensify; aggravate
- to produce inflammation in (a tissue, organ, or part) or (of a tissue, etc) to become inflamed
- to set or be set on fire; kindle
- (transitive) to cause to redden
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•flame /ɪnˈfleɪm/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -flamed, -flam•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to kindle or excite (people, passions, etc.):The speaker inflamed (the passions of) the crowd with his angry words.
- to cause inflammation in:The infection inflamed her lungs.
in•flame
(in flām′),USA pronunciation v., -flamed, -flam•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
in•flam•ed•ness
(in flā′mid nis),USA pronunciation n.
in•flam′er, n.
in•flam′ing•ly, adv.
v.t.
- to kindle or excite (passions, desires, etc.).
- to arouse to a high degree of passion or feeling:His harangue inflamed the rabble.
- to incite or rouse, as to violence:His words inflamed the angry mob to riot.
- (of an emotion, as rage) to cause to redden or grow heated:Uncontrollable rage inflamed his face.
- to cause inflammation in:Her eyes were inflamed with crying.
- to raise (the blood, bodily tissue, etc.) to a morbid or feverish heat.
- to set aflame, ablaze, or afire; set on fire.
- to redden with or as with flames:The setting sun inflames the sky.
v.i.
- to burst into flame;
take fire. - to be kindled, as passion.
- to become hot with passion, as the heart.
- to become excessively affected with inflammation.
- Latin inflammāre to kindle
- Middle French enflammer
- 1300–50; in-2 + flame; replacing Middle English enflammen
in•flam′ing•ly, adv.
- 1. –3. See incite. 7. See kindle.
- 2. cool, soothe.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
inflame /ɪnˈfleɪm/ vb
'inflame' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):