WordValeinflammation
redness, swelling, and heat as the body responds to injury
In more detail
1. (noun) the condition of being swollen, red, or painful as a result of infection or injury
2. (noun) strong angry feelings or reactions
Examples
- 1. The inflammation in her knee made it difficult to walk.
- 2. The minister's speech sparked inflammation among the protesters.
How to use inflammation
Inflammation is used primarily in medical and scientific contexts to describe the body's physical response to injury or infection, characterized by swelling, redness, and pain. In more figurative or literary use, it can describe intense emotional reactions or outbursts of anger, though this second sense is less common in modern English. The term is more technical than its near-synonyms like swelling or irritation.
Common phrases
- chronic inflammation
- acute inflammation
- inflammatory response
- reduce inflammation
- signs of inflammation
- inflammation of the joint
Synonyms
swelling · irritation · redness · soreness · anger
Word family
inflame · inflammatory · inflamed
A common mistake
Learners sometimes treat inflammation as countable (e.g., 'an inflammation' when referring to the general condition) rather than recognizing it is typically uncountable in medical contexts, though 'an inflammation of X' (specific site) is grammatically correct.
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