What does inflammatory mean?
Inflamatory describes something that provokes intense feeling, especially anger, hostility, or public outrage, or that physically causes inflammation. Its figurative use is especially common for language and rhetoric that critics regard as deliberately provocative: an inflammatory speech may be designed to stir fear, resentment, or conflict. The word is more forceful than simply “angry” and often suggests a broader public or social reaction. In medical contexts, inflammatory conditions involve inflammation of the body’s tissues, although the figurative sense is far more frequent in general use. Because inflammatory language can inflame tensions as well as describe them, the term often appears in discussion of politics, religion, race, immigration, and other sensitive subjects.
adjectiveCausing or likely to cause inflammation, anger, hostility, or strong public reaction. In figurative use, it describes speech, writing, or issues that provoke heated disagreement.
- Causing or involving inflammation in the body.
- Arousing or intended to arouse strong anger, hostility, or public outrage.
- Characterized by heated, provocative, or disruptive speech or writing.
"The inflammatory speech was condemned for stirring up tensions between the two communities."
"The doctor said the condition was inflammatory and prescribed rest and anti-inflammatory medication."
"His inflammatory comments about immigration caused a furore in parliament."
A word for words that can turn disagreement into a fire: inflammatory remarks may be designed to make people blaze.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inflammatory come from?
The word comes from Medieval Latin inflammatorius, meaning “tending to inflame,” and is related to inflame and inflammation. Inflame derives from Latin inflammare, formed from in- and flamma, “flame.” The family entered English through both medical and figurative senses, with the broader idea of stirring up strong feeling developing alongside the literal sense of setting alight or causing inflammation.
Related word forms
How inflammatory is actually used
The figurative sense is common in formal and political contexts. It can describe speech, language, rhetoric, remarks, or broader social and political issues, and is generally negative.
Easily confused with inflammatory
Inflammable means easily capable of catching fire, whereas inflammatory more commonly means likely to provoke anger, hostility, or public outrage.