ablaze

adjective

ə-ˈblāz 

1

: being on fire

—not used before a noun

The house was ablaze.

2

a

: radiant with light or emotion

—not used before a noun

The sky was ablaze with color.

Her eyes were ablaze with anger.

b

: being in a state of great excitement or energy

—not used before a noun

Social media was ablaze with the news.

ablaze adverb

Lightning set the forest ablaze.

The news set the Internet ablaze.

Synonyms of ablaze

• burning
• blazing
• flaming
• aflame
• flickering

Examples of ablaze in a Sentence

the entire block was ablaze by the time firefighters arrived

that night the ballroom, ablaze with light, looked very different from the curtained room it usually was by day

Recent Examples on the Web

After more than 800 rioters are arrested in France for looting and setting buildings ablaze, Ahmed analyzes the cultural and political shifts driving destructive protests across major European cities. — Asra Q. Nomani, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Protesters forced their way into Marseille's city hall, and a tourist office in Lyon was set ablaze. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026

Carl Court; Hesham Elsherif / Anadolu / Getty In Limoges, a town in central France, dramatic scenes emerged overnight Saturday as rioters broke into the historic town hall and set it ablaze. — Max Butterworth, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026

The men rushed on to the plain, setting more trees ablaze and hurling rocks. — Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

a- entry 1 + blaze entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ablaze

• set something afire/aflame/ablaze

Rhymes for ablaze

• airways
• allays
• always
• amaze
• anglaise
• appraise
• archways
• arrays
• ashtrays
• assays
• atpase
• ballets

Kids Definition

ablaze

adjective

ə-ˈblāz 

1

: being on fire

2

: radiant with light or bright color