ignite

verb

ig·​nite ig-ˈnīt How to pronounce ignite (audio)
ignited; igniting

transitive verb

1
a
: to set afire
also : kindle
b
: to cause (a fuel) to burn
2
: to subject to fire or intense heat
especially : to render luminous by heat
3
a
: to heat up : excite
oppression that ignited the hatred of the people
b
: to set in motion : spark
ignite a debate

intransitive verb

1
: to catch fire
2
: to begin to glow
ignitability noun
ignitable adjective
or less commonly ignitible
igniter noun
or less commonly ignitor

Examples of ignite in a Sentence

The fire was ignited by sparks. The paper ignited on contact with sparks. a material that ignites easily Three wins in a row ignited the team. His proposal is igniting opposition.
Recent Examples on the Web This practice of self-tying not only provided solace but also ignited a deeper exploration into kink. Bae Leche, refinery29.com, 3 Oct. 2024 My passion for exploring the profound power of neuroscience was ignited during research for a chapter on failure in my first book. Dr. Adil Dalal, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel shortly after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into Israel ignited the war in Gaza. Aamer Madhani, TIME, 1 Oct. 2024 Venus will also slip into Sagittarius that same day, igniting your creative fifth house of romance and passion projects. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ignite 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ignite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin ignitus, past participle of ignire to ignite, from ignis

First Known Use

1666, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of ignite was in 1666

Dictionary Entries Near ignite

Cite this Entry

“Ignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignite. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ignite

verb
ig·​nite ig-ˈnīt How to pronounce ignite (audio)
ignited; igniting
1
a
: to set on fire : light
b
: to cause (a fuel mixture) to burn
2
: to catch fire
3
: to set in motion : spark
ignite a debate
ignitable
-ˈnīt-ə-bəl
adjective
igniter noun
also ignitor

More from Merriam-Webster on ignite

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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