ignite

verb

ig·nite ig-ˈnīt

ignited; igniting

Synonyms of ignite next

transitive verb

: to set afire

also : kindle

: to cause (a fuel) to burn

: to subject to fire or intense heat

especially : to render luminous by heat

: to heat up : excite

oppression that ignited the hatred of the people

: to set in motion : spark

ignite a debate

intransitive verb

: to catch fire

: to begin to glow

ignitability

ig-ˌnī-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun

ignitable adjective

or less commonly ignitible

ig-ˈnī-tə-bəl

igniter noun

or less commonly ignitor

ig-ˈnī-tər

Example Sentences

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 More:Drake wears Cincinnati Reds jersey, igniting 'curse' joke from fans Concerts:'American Idol' star and Mason native Michael Williams to perform in Greater Cincinnati Accommodations for fans with tickets to the July 2 show to receive tickets to the July 1 show are in the works. —

Taijuan Moorman, The Enquirer, 12 May 2023 Our worst nightmares ignite when she is initially delayed by medical dithering and misdiagnoses. —

Joan Frank, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023 Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli and more ignited the night with powerful performances, as iconic landmarks were illuminated across the U.K. Prince William and Princess Kate joined the festivities along with other members of the royal family. —

Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 8 May 2023 Likewise, the first fire in PacifiCorp’s territory ignited near the southwest Oregon town of Chiloquin, hours before the other blazes started. —

Tsicking, oregonlive, 26 Apr. 2023 Two children were injured, and one is in critical condition, after a person ignited an object and threw it into an Englewood residence on Sunday night, Chicago Police Department officials said. —

Olivia Alexander, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2023 For many in the state of Punjab, the recent events hark back to a period of intense violence in the 1980s, ignited by the Indian Army’s raid on the religion’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, in which the Sikh militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was killed. —

Karishma Mehrotra, Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2023 Starbucks fired the employee who ignited unionization at the company 📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning. —

Julia Malleck, Quartz, 17 Apr. 2023 Investigations are ongoing as to what ignited the fire at the 175,000-square-foot facility, Richmond Fire Chief Tim Brown said. —

Safia Samee Ali, NBC News, 13 Apr. 2023 See More

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.