inflame

/ɪnˈfleɪm/ (bre, ipa) · [ɪnflˈem] /ɪnˈfleɪm/ (ame, ipa) · [ɪnflˈem] /in-ˈflām How to pronounce inflame (audio)/ (ame, mw)

inflame — verb

  • inflamepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • inflameshe / she / it
  • inflamedpast simple
  • inflaming-ing form

1. to make emotions like anger or wild excitement rise sharply in someone or across

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to make emotions like anger or wild excitement rise sharply in someone or across a whole group.

例句

The radio host's joke inflamed listeners who were already upset about the strike.

inflame + group already feeling angry

A leaked video inflamed public anger after the police denied hitting the boy.

inflame + emotion noun

同義詞
  • stir up

    more everyday and broader in tone

  • provoke

    often suggests a deliberate attempt to trigger anger

  • incite

    stronger and often linked to violence or illegal action

反義詞
  • calm

    to reduce strong feelings

  • appease

    formal: to quiet anger by satisfying demands

文法句型

inflame + anger / resentment / passions

inflame + crowd / public / voters

用法筆記

Object is usually an emotion such as anger or resentment, or a group whose feelings are already hot. It sounds more formal and more critical than stir up, and it often suggests that a bad situation is becoming harder to control.

常見錯誤

❌The film inflamed my interest in jazz.
✅The film sparked my interest in jazz.
💡Inflame usually suggests hot or hostile feelings, not mild curiosity.

2. to make a body part turn sore, red, and swollen, or for it to react that way its

2.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

to make a body part turn sore, red, and swollen, or for it to react that way itself.

例句

Cheap earrings inflamed Yuna's ears within an hour of the party.

inflame + body part

The cut on Reema's finger inflamed again after she cleaned the sink with bleach.

body part or injury + inflame again

同義詞
  • irritate

    more everyday and often milder

  • aggravate

    focuses on making an existing problem worse

反義詞
  • soothe

    to ease pain or irritation

  • cool

    to reduce heat and redness

文法句型

inflame + skin / gums / tissue

body part + inflame

用法筆記

The subject may be an irritant such as jewellery, soap, or chemicals, or the body part itself in the intransitive pattern. In everyday English, learners more often see become inflamed than the bare verb inflame.