as in to burn
to set (something) on fire
tried using newspapers as kindling to ignite the logs in the fireplace
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ignite
The fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy by police who were responding to a shoplifting call this past weekend has ignited simmering tensions between police and Black residents in the small town of Senatobia, Miss.
—
Travis Loller, Arkansas Online, 20 June 2026
The original fire ignited Sunday in grassy flats near Krome Avenue during a thunderstorm before splitting into the Quarry 2 Fire and the Wells Fire.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 20 June 2026
After impressive victories over Paraguay and Australia to open the World Cup, the United States men’s national team has ignited a fever-pitch buzz across the country.
—Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 20 June 2026
When planning his funeral, an unintended slight could ignite the reordering of eulogists or the dropping and replacement of a pallbearer, only for them to be brought back again days later.
—Griffin Dunne, Vulture, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignite
Travis Loller, Arkansas Online, 20 June 2026
The original fire ignited Sunday in grassy flats near Krome Avenue during a thunderstorm before splitting into the Quarry 2 Fire and the Wells Fire.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 20 June 2026
After impressive victories over Paraguay and Australia to open the World Cup, the United States men’s national team has ignited a fever-pitch buzz across the country.
—Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 20 June 2026
When planning his funeral, an unintended slight could ignite the reordering of eulogists or the dropping and replacement of a pallbearer, only for them to be brought back again days later.
—Griffin Dunne, Vulture, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignite
Verb
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Aerial footage showed large flames burning near a cul-de-sac of homes as helicopters made water drops and hand crews on the ground worked to create a containment line.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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And just as the image of black people beaten for trying to cross a bridge resonated beyond our community, the image of a Palestinian hooked up to an IV, writhing in agony and burning alive, resonates far beyond theirs.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Signs of heat stress include prematurely dropped fruit, wilting, drooping branches, and scorched leaves.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 June 2026
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Wildfires caused by dry spells scorch thousands of acres of dry brush, and sinkholes collapse the ground into empty underground caverns once filled with water.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Plus, tribal council is dark — there aren’t big lights, it’s only lit by fire.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
16 June 2026
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After more talk of intimate moments that occurred during the shoot, and a few anecdotes about nipples, Shaver then redirected the conversation, lighting things up in her characteristic way.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
Verb
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But now, new information has inflamed the community, saying this axing was part of some plot to get back at Bungie for its transgressions against Sony.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Even scarier data was reported in 2025 by a team of Harvard cardiologists, who found a direct link between ALAN, brain stress, inflamed arteries, and heart disease.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Uruguay's efforts finally yield fruit as Maximiliano Araújo fires home in the 80th minute from close range on the left after Al-Owais made an initial save of a Uruguayan header but left the ball alive in the box.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
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The chief told The Times the officer who fired the shot was no longer on the force, and the district attorney’s office was reviewing whether the behavior was criminal in nature.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignite. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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