adj
inflammatory
ihn-FLA-muht-ree
adj
1
Likely to provoke anger or strong reaction, especially through speech or writing.
"The newspaper was criticized for its inflammatory headline."
"He avoided making any inflammatory remarks during the debate."
2
Relating to or causing inflammation in the body.
"Arthritis is an inflammatory condition affecting the joints."
How to Use Inflammatory
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishProvocative and likely to stir anger, or, medically, related to swelling and irritation.
Common pairings
inflammatory remarks
inflammatory rhetoric
inflammatory disease
Word Forms
more inflammatory comparative, inflammatories plural, most inflammatory superlative
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The newspaper was criticized for its _____ headline.
Etymology
Built on inflame plus the suffix -atory.