incinerate

verb

in·​cin·​er·​ate in-ˈsi-nə-ˌrāt 

incinerated; incinerating

transitive verb

: to cause to burn to ashes

incineration

in-ˌsi-nə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

Examples of incinerate in a Sentence

The waste is incinerated in a large furnace.

Recent Examples on the Web

After last year’s Eaton fire tore through town, incinerating community infrastructure and scattering residents across the region, the importance of such places has grown dramatically — not only as centers of gathering, but as sites of refuge, planning and healing. —Sam Lubell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Some e-waste is sent to other countries, where materials may end up incinerated or buried in a landfill. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026

The shuttle and its precious human cargo were gone, incinerated in a fireball, debris raining into the Atlantic. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026

The Eaton Fire incinerated the home where Arts Davis and his wife raised three girls and hundreds of his paintings. —Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin incineratus, past participle of incinerare, from Latin in- + ciner-, cinis ashes; akin to Greek konis dust, ashes

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for incinerate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

incinerate

verb

in·​cin·​er·​ate in-ˈsin-ə-ˌrāt 

incinerated; incinerating

: to burn to ashes

incineration

-ˌsin-ə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

incinerate

transitive verb

in·​cin·​er·​ate in-ˈsin-ə-ˌrāt 

incinerated; incinerating

: to cause to burn to ashes