ignite

1 of 2

verb

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

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

ignitable

2 of 2

adjective

ig·​nit·​able
variants or less commonly ignitible
: capable of being ignited

Examples of ignite in a Sentence

Verb 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Instead, Pacific Gas & Electricity power lines in the high hills of Butte County ignited the 153,336-acre wildfire that destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings and killed 85 people, state fire officials determined. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026 Federal prosecutors say a 30-year-old former Uber driver, fueled by resentment toward the wealthy, ignited the Lachman fire, which days later exploded into the Palisades fire. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026 The expectant father, who shot a makeshift target that exploded into a blue cloud, igniting the surrounding brush, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of US Forest Service regulations and was ordered to pay restitution for the damages. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 9 June 2026 Still, the moon in Aries ignites your seventh house of commitments and partnerships, making other people (and their needs) impossible to ignore. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ignite

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

First Known Use

Verb

1666, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of ignite was in 1666

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignite. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster