adjective
Uncommon
flammable
FLA-muh-buhl
Flammable (adjective) means Capable of catching fire easily. Example: “Gasoline is highly flammable, so store it away from any heat source.”
adjective
1
Capable of catching fire easily.
"Gasoline is highly flammable, so store it away from any heat source."
2
(informal) Likely to spark an argument or controversy.
"That's a flammable topic to bring up at a family dinner."
How to use flammable
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that catches fire easily.
Common mistake
Flammable and inflammable mean the same thing — the in- in inflammable is not a negative prefix here, even though it looks like one. Safety labels now favor "flammable" and "non-flammable" to avoid confusion.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- flammables
- Comparative
- more flammable
- Superlative
- most flammable
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Gasoline is highly _____, so store it away from any heat source.
Etymology
Formed as a back-formation from inflammable, deliberately created so warning labels wouldn't be misread as meaning "not flammable."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for flammable
See all rhymes for flammable →Frequently asked questions
What does “flammable” mean?
The word “flammable” means capable of catching fire easily. In plain terms, something that catches fire easily.
How do you pronounce “flammable”?
“Flammable” is pronounced FLA-muh-buhl (/ˈflæməbəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “flammable” in a sentence?
Here is “flammable” used in a sentence: “Gasoline is highly flammable, so store it away from any heat source.”
What part of speech is “flammable”?
“Flammable” is an adjective.
Is “flammable” a common word?
“Flammable” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “flammable” have?
“Flammable” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: capable of catching fire easily.
