What does "incendiary" mean?
Something capable of causing fire, particularly a weapon.
Incendiary
/ɪnˈsɛn.di.ɛɹ.i/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something capable of causing fire, particularly a weapon.
- Grammar: incendiary is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: firebomb, agent provocateur, agitating, agitational.
- Useful contrasts: anodyne, balanced content, calming.
- Usage evidence: Beth Sanders was known for both her incendiary speeches and her fierce writing.
How to use "incendiary"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "incendiary" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "incendiary" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "incendiary" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "incendiary" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "incendiary" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "firebomb" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "incendiary", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something capable of causing fire, particularly a weapon.
"The military used incendiaries to destroy the building. Fortunately, the fire didn't spread."
- 2 a bomb that is designed to start fires; is most effective against flammable targets (such as fuel) wordnet
- 3 One who maliciously sets fires.
- 4 a criminal who illegally sets fire to property wordnet
- 5 One who excites or inflames factions into quarrels. figuratively
"March 7, 1692, Richard Bentley, The Folly of Atheism Several cities […] drove them out as incendiaries."
Adjective
- 1 Capable of, or used for, or actually causing fire.
"Driving 2-6-2 locomotive No. 4771 Green Arrow, Blunt suddenly noticed that the tunnel mouth was silhouetted in a dazzling white glare and that incendiary bombs were showering down in their hundreds, he slammed on all his brakes and brought his train to a stop just inside the tunnel."
- 2 Of a damaging fire, intentionally caused rather than accidental.
"The Crown must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the fire was incendiary in origin; that is, it was not accidental and that it was either intentionally or recklessly set by the accused."
- 3 Intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion. figuratively
"Earlier that year Italian Jews had come under serious attack when an incendiary publication, Gli ebrei in Italia (The Jews in Italy), had flooded the bookshops. The author, Paolo Orano, was a Fascist publicist whose book helped to harden Italian public sensibility against the Jews and pave the way for their eventual persecution."
- 4 Inflammatory, emotionally charged. figuratively
"Politics is an incendiary topic; it tends to cause fights to break out."
Adjective
- 1 capable of catching fire spontaneously or causing fires or burning readily wordnet
- 2 arousing to action or rebellion wordnet
- 3 involving deliberate burning of property wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Beth Sanders was known for both her incendiary speeches and her fierce writing."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "incendiary"?
Common synonyms include: firebomb, agent provocateur, agitating, agitational, agitative, agitator.
How do you use "incendiary" in a sentence?
Beth Sanders was known for both her incendiary speeches and her fierce writing.
How do you pronounce "incendiary"?
Pronounced /ɪnˈsɛn.di.ɛɹ.i/.
Etymology
From Middle English incendiarie, from Old French incendiaire, from Latin incendiārius (“setting alight”), from incendium (“destructive fire”), from incendō (“I set on fire, kindle”), from in- (“into, in, on, upon”) + candeō (“I am hot”).