combustible
adjective
com·bus·ti·ble
kəm-ˈbə-stə-bəl 
1
: capable of combustion
combustible materials, such as paper, leaves, and sawdust
combustible gases
2
: easily excited
a combustible temper
The coach had to keep the combustible players under control.
Synonyms of combustible
Examples of combustible in a Sentence
The fuel is highly combustible.
don't store oily rags and other combustible materials in a hot attic
Recent Examples on the Web
The combination of maritime disruptions, nuclear tensions and the breakdown of diplomatic channels has created a combustible environment in which even routine stoppages can escalate quickly.
—
Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
Authorities have previously signalled plans to phase out bamboo in favour of steel because bamboo is combustible and degrades over time.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 27 Nov. 2025
Flying on the wind, sometimes miles ahead of the fire front, a firestorm of glowing embers infiltrates the home through unsealed cracks and vents, taking advantage of the combustible furniture and drapes to burn it down from within.
—New Atlas, 27 Nov. 2025
According to charging documents, the building was already at risk of collapse after there had been two fires in 2015 and 2016, causing the structure to be filled with potential combustible debris, such as trash and charred wood.
—Harrington Gardiner, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combustible
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Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
Authorities have previously signalled plans to phase out bamboo in favour of steel because bamboo is combustible and degrades over time.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 27 Nov. 2025
Flying on the wind, sometimes miles ahead of the fire front, a firestorm of glowing embers infiltrates the home through unsealed cracks and vents, taking advantage of the combustible furniture and drapes to burn it down from within.
—New Atlas, 27 Nov. 2025
According to charging documents, the building was already at risk of collapse after there had been two fires in 2015 and 2016, causing the structure to be filled with potential combustible debris, such as trash and charred wood.
—Harrington Gardiner, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combustible
Cite this Entry
“Combustible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combustible. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
combustible
adjective
com·bus·ti·ble
kəm-ˈbəs-tə-bəl
1
: capable of being burned
2
: catching fire or burning easily
combustible
noun
Medical Definition
combustible
adjective
com·bus·ti·ble
kəm-ˈbəs-tə-bəl
: capable of combustion
combustible anesthetics
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