5 syllables: In, flam, ma, to, ry. Stress on flam.
in-FLAM-uh-taw-ree
/ɪnˈflæməˌtɔɹi/
Inflammatory is pronounced in-FLAM-uh-taw-ree (/ɪnˈflæməˌtɔɹi/). It has five syllables (In-flam-ma-to-ry), with the stress on "flam". Inflammatory is an adjective describing something that causes or is related to inflammation, often provoking strong emotion or reaction. It can refer to medical inflammation or language intended to provoke controversy or anger. The term emphasizes irritative or provocative quality, sometimes used in medical, political, or rhetorical contexts.
adjectiveInflammatory is an adjective describing something that causes or is related to inflammation, often provoking strong emotion or reaction. It can refer to medical inflammation or language intended to provoke controversy or anger. The term emphasizes irritative or provocative quality, sometimes used in medical, political, or rhetorical contexts.
How to Pronounce Inflammatory
"The doctor prescribed anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling."
"Her inflammatory comments sparked a heated debate on social media."
"The report highlighted inflammatory markers in the patient’s bloodwork."
Pronounce as in-FLAM-ma-tor-y, with primary stress on the 'FLAM' syllable. IPA: US ɪnˈflæm.əˌtɔːr.i, UK ɪnˈflæm.əˌtɔː.ri, AU ɪnˈflæm.əˌtɔː.ɹi. Start with a quick /ɪ/ in 'in', then /ˈflæm/ with a clear open front vowel in 'flæm', followed by a neutral schwa /ə/ in 'ma', a light /ˌtɔːr/ or /ˌtɔː/ depending on accent, and ending with /i/ or /iː/. Audio cue: listen for the strong syllable peak on 'FLAM'.
Common errors: misplacing stress (say in-FLAME-atory), over-pronouncing the second half (making ‘tory’ too heavy), or conflating with 'inflammatory' as two words. Correction: keep primary stress on FLAM, reduce emphasis on -pa- and -tory, and pronounce the ending as -tɔːri with a quick, light final /i/. Practice the two parts 'in- + flam' clearly before linking to 'ma-tory'.
US: rhotic /ɹ/ present in 'ri' ending; clear /ɔː/ in '-tɔːr.i'. UK: non-rhotic in some registers, weaker /r/ or none before vowels; final -ri often reduced. AU: rhotic, with a bright /ɹ/ and rounded vowel in 'tori'. Pay attention to rhoticity and vowel length, particularly the /ɔː/ vs /ɔː.ə/ tendency in connected speech.
Because it combines a cluster after a tense onset: /ɪnˈflæm/ followed by a lighter /əˌtɔːr.i/. The stress window spans two syllables, and the /ɔː/ vowel in stressed syllable can vary in length across dialects. The sequence /flæm.ə/ requires careful smoothing into /tɔːr.i/. Mastery comes from segmenting into manageable chunks and practicing linking.
Note the subtle secondary emphasis that can appear on the 'ma' or 'tory' depending on rate; in careful speech you may hear a tiny rise before the final unstressed /i/. Also, the /fl/ cluster demands a firm onset with a light, almost ejective release into /æm/ rather than a dull 'flamm' blend. Keep the mouth slightly open for /æ/ and avoid turning /æ/ into /eɪ/ in rapid speech.
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US: rhotic; emphasize the final /ɹi/ softly, keep /ɔːr/ rounded and not too long. UK: non-rhotic in some contexts; the final /r/ is often silent before vowels or at the end of word; keep /ɔː/ long, and the ending /i/ short. AU: rhotic with more pronounced /ɹ/ in all positions; vowels tend to be pure and rounded; practice linking smoothly into following words. IPA references: US ɪnˈflæm.əˌtɔːr.i, UK ɪnˈflæm.əˌtɔː.ri, AU ɪnˈflæm.əˌtɔː.ɹi.
Inflammatory comes from the Latin inflammare, meaning to set on fire or inflame, which itself derives from in- (into, on) + flam (flame). The English form entered via late Middle English, retaining medical senses related to inflammation (the body's response to injury). By the 19th and 20th centuries, inflammatory broadened to describe rhetoric or statements intended to provoke strong emotional responses, in addition to its technical medical sense. The word carries both concrete medical implications (inflammation as a biological response) and figurative connotations (incendiary or provocative language). The -atory suffix indicates a property or function (relating to inflammation or provoking it), while the root flam- anchors the concept to fire and heat, signaling intensity across domains.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Inflammatory" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Inflammatory" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Inflammatory"
-ory sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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