Flammable Meaning
/ˈflæməbəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjCapable of burning.
adjEasily set on fire.
Sentence Examples
Gasoline is more flammable than fuel oil.
These clothes are flammable and not suited for children.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The warning label stated that the cleaning fluid was highly ____ and should be kept away from heat.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The warning label on the chemical bottle indicates that the liquid is highly ____ and dangerous.
Word Origin & History
Back-formation from inflammable, which is used to avoid confusion with non-flammable, as the prefix in- is often used to mean "un-; non-", although it was originally meant in a sense closely related to en-.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In considering the possible commitment of U.S. forces to South Vietnam , the Joint Chiefs of Staff have reviewed the overall critical situation in Southeast Asia with particular emphasis upon the present highly flammable situation in South Vietnam."
— 1971, United States. Department of Defense, United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945-1967, page 42:
"They could stuff their ears with cotton, but they could not, after all, fight such flammable ideas ( at least not in the public squares where Attucks's war whoops could still be heard )."
— 2002, Gregory Toledo, The Hanging of Old Brown, page 27:
"With her play Diamond Lil, she discovered a way to sneak her flammable subject matter past the censors."
— 2004, Elizabeth Prioleau, Seductress: Women Who Ravished the World and Their Lost Art of Love:
"King's words touch on a higher law of leadership, that the solution to a sensitive and highly contentious and even flammable situation often lies in doing the opposite of what is expected and even perceived as normal or 'natural'."
— 2015, Adriaan Groenewald, Seamless Leadership: A passion to perform in South Africa:
"Evelyn realized that Adam's flammable words and angry eyes were only the form of his untold pain, holding the strongest words of his heart, unspoken."
— 2021, Esra Gultakin, In the Shallows: Awaken Your Mind:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The warning label stated that the cleaning fluid was highly ____ and should be kept away from heat.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The warning label on the chemical bottle indicates that the liquid is highly ____ and dangerous.