ignite

verb

ig·nite | \ ig-ˈnīt

ignited; igniting

Definition of ignite

transitive verb

1a : 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

3a : 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

Other Words from ignite Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about ignite

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Other Words from ignite

ignitability \ ig-ˌnī-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

ignitable or less commonly ignitible \ ig-ˈnī-tə-bəl

\ adjective

igniter or less commonly ignitor \ ig-ˈnī-tər

\ noun

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

For those who doubt that any of this will work, Tom Lape, president of Mohawk, points to Tempur-Pedic and how its foam mattress supplanted springs and ignited growth in a very mature industry. — Matthew Townsend / Bloomberg, Time, "'Big Carpet' Is Betting This New Floor Covering Will Get Americans to End Their Love of Hardwood," 6 June 2019 More than six months have passed since the spark ignited that went on to burn over 200 square miles of homes, businesses, hospitals, and places of worship. — Caitlin Harrington, Outside Online, "A Muralist Paints the Camp Fire's Wreckage," 6 June 2019 At a recent wedding, guests ignored her rule against sparklers, and one landed in a 100-year-old live oak, igniting Spanish moss and almost setting the hall on fire. — Molly Hennessy-fiske, latimes.com, "Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain," 4 June 2019 The battle for the Libyan capital has threatened to ignite a civil war on the scale of the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. — Samy Magdy, The Seattle Times, "Libyan fighters in Tripoli get armored vehicles from abroad," 19 May 2019 Try stacking books by local writers to ignite their imaginations and turn garden herbs and field flowers into a graceful wall-hanging. — Sara-mae Albert, ELLE Decor, "How to Be the Ultimate Weekend Host for Out-of-Town Guests," 15 May 2019 The stark contrast between them ignited debate and protests nationwide. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "The Time 100 List Includes Both Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh—and People Have Thoughts," 17 Apr. 2019 Amazon’s decision to abandon the project has merely ignited a broader debate. — Roger Lowenstein, WSJ, "‘The Enlightened Capitalists’ Review: Proﬁting From High Ideals," 25 Feb. 2019 The news is sure to ignite debate (watch the fur fly!) among dog owners and scientists who study canine behavior. — Laura M. Holson, The Seattle Times, "Your Dog May Be Smart, but She’s Not Exceptional," 8 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ignite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.