inflame
Make intensely angry
To inflame is to set on fire or cause to burn—but the figurative uses dominate.
Inflame most often means to intensify emotions or conflict: inflammatory rhetoric inflamed the crowd, The editorial inflamed tensions between the two groups.
Body parts become inflamed when they swell, redden, and hurt: an inflamed joint, inflamed sinuses.
Passions and desires can also be inflamed: Her words inflamed his jealousy.
Urge toward action
demagoguery · propaganda · polemic · firebrand · rabble-rousing · sedition · incendiary · harangue
To stimulate or excite
awaken · stimulate · fervor · ardor · desire · lust · yearning · eroticism
Make furious
- infuriateProvoke extreme anger
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- provokeIncite a response
- antagonizeIncite hostility in
madden · outrage · rile · aggravate · irritate · vex · exasperate · gall
Increase in severity
- exacerbateMake a situation worse
- aggravateMake more severe
- worsenBecome more severe
- heightenIncrease in degree
amplify · fan · stoke · fuel · deepen · compound · magnify · accelerate
Abnormal tissue enlargement
- rednessCrimson-hued state
- irritationMild anger or inflammation
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- sorenessTender, painful sensation
tenderness · abscess · lesion · wound · ulcer · dermatitis · arthritis · bursitis
incite
Urge toward action
stir · demagoguery · propaganda · polemic · firebrand · rabble-rousing · sedition · incendiary · harangue · fomenting
arouse
To stimulate or excite
ignite · awaken · stimulate · fervor · ardor · desire · lust · yearning · eroticism · sensuality
enrage
Make furious
antagonize · madden · outrage · rile · aggravate · irritate · vex · exasperate · gall · nettle
escalate
Increase in severity
- exacerbateMake a situation worse
- aggravateMake more severe
- worsenBecome more severe
heighten · amplify · fan · stoke · fuel · deepen · compound · magnify · accelerate · stir
kindle
Start a blaze
blaze · torch · combust · enkindle · smolder · conflagrate · char · scorch · incinerate · flare
swelling
Abnormal tissue enlargement
- rednessCrimson-hued state
- irritationMild anger or inflammation
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
soreness · tenderness · abscess · lesion · wound · ulcer · dermatitis · arthritis · bursitis · cellulitis
- verbsjump, be, speak, wait, do
- heat and fireignite, burn, blaze, combust, incinerate
- making troublemake waves, stir the pot, raise Cain, kick up a fuss, upset the apple cart
- troublemakingtroublemaker, troublemaking, instigate, agitator, instigating
- agitateagitate, stir, rouse, disturb, rile up
- escalationescalation, escalate, ratchet up, worsen, intensify
- anti-inflammatory effectsReduction of tissue inflammation
- inflammatory diseasesIllnesses causing tissue irritation
- inflammatory rhetoric
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsAnalgesics blocking prostaglandin synthesis
- anti-inflammatory propertiesAbility to reduce swelling
- inflammatory speechRhetoric meant to provoke anger
inflamed, inflammation, inflammable, inflammatory, inflaming, inflames, anti-inflammatory, inflammability, noninflammatory