# inflammatory

/ɪnˈfɫæməˌtɔɹi/ (US) · /ɪnflˈæmətəɹˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inflammatory
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. causing anger

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

intended to make people feel very angry or to start a fight.

For teachers: tending to excite anger, disorder, or tumult; provocative in a way that incites a strong emotional or social reaction.

- The politician was criticized for making inflammatory comments about his opponents during the debate.
- The editorial was condemned for its inflammatory rhetoric, which many feared would incite further unrest in the already divided city.

Usage: Often used to describe speech, writing, or political actions.

### 2. medical swelling

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

relating to or causing heat, pain, and swelling in the body.

For teachers: pertaining to, characterized by, or causing inflammation within a biological system.

- Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that makes the joints feel stiff and painful.
- The patient presented with a chronic inflammatory response that had not responded to standard steroid treatments over the previous six months.

Usage: Commonly modifies nouns like 'condition', 'response', 'disease', or 'process'.

## Examples

- The politician made several inflammatory remarks during the debate.
- The newspaper was criticized for its inflammatory headlines, which many felt were designed to incite public anger rather than inform.
- The diplomat carefully avoided inflammatory language, knowing that a single provocative phrase could derail the fragile peace negotiations that had taken months to establish.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.