combust

verb

com·​bust kəm-ˈbəst 

combusted; combusting; combusts

: burn

Synonyms of combust

• burn
• glow
• flame

Examples of combust in a Sentence

anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal

Recent Examples on the Web

Make sure there are no overhanging limbs that could combust, cut back and remove nearby grasses, brambles, and underbrush, and have a fire extinguisher ready to deal with any embers that float away. —Steven John, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026

When a mosquito comes and bites him, the bug immediately tastes the spice in his blood and flies away only to combust moments later. —Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026

This loss wasn’t last June at the French Open, when the wind and Coco Gauff’s relentless defense caused Sabalenka to combust, first on the court, and then in the news conference after. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026

Similar to the show, the comic features a pair of detectives trying to connect the dots behind a strain of explosive deaths, and everyone who’s spontaneously combusted has The Beauty. —Barry Levitt, Time, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

derivative of earlier combust, combusted "burned, consumed," going back to Middle English combust, borrowed from Latin combustus, past participle of combūrere "to destroy with fire, reduce to ashes, calcine," from com- com- + ūrere "to expose to fire, burn, scorch" (with -b- from ambūrere "to burn around, scorch," falsely parsed as am- + būrere) — more at adust

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for combust

• adjust
• discussed
• disgust
• distrust
• entrust
• intrust
• mistrust
• nonplussed
• robust
• sawdust
• stardust
• unjust

Kids Definition

combust

verb

com·​bust kəm-ˈbəst 

: to be or set on fire : burn