Flammable vs Inflammable
Published January 23, 2023. Updated January 23, 2023.
Flammable and inflammable are two words that sound like they would have opposite meanings, but they actually mean the same thing. Flammable and inflammable are both adjectives that mean “easily set on fire.”
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
Flammable (adjective)
Easily set on fire
Example:
The materials used to create the art project were undoubtedly beautiful in appearance, yet the concern was about how flammable they were.
Inflammable (adjective)
Easily set on fire
Example:
It is important to make sure that chemicals used for the experiment are inflammable, as fire is key to recording the final results.
As we can see, both words are used interchangeably, as they quite literally mean the same thing. Although it may sound surprising to see that a word starting with “in-” does not create a negative meaning, adding this prefix to flammable does not change its definition.
Main Points
- Flammable is an adjective that describes something easily set on fire.
- Inflammable is an adjective that describes something easily set on fire.
- Both adjectives mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably.