tinder

noun

tin·​der ˈtin-dər 

1

: a very flammable substance adaptable for use as kindling

2

: something that serves to incite or inflame

… that rhetoric was ready tinder for revolution.

—Margaret Peters

Examples of tinder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wildfires in Florida are feeding off of vegetation made tinder-dry by a double-whammy of depleted rainfall from La Niña this past winter and a lack of rainfall from tropical storms last fall. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026

Wildfires in Florida are feeding off of vegetation made tinder-dry by a double-whammy of depleted rainfall from La Niña this past winter and a lack of rainfall from tropical storms last fall. —Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026

Be aware that certain towns and counties may implement burn bans due to the tinder-dry and hot weather conditions. —Steven Sosna, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026

These studies were ready tinder for a devastating fire that ripped through Bettina’s studio in 1966, destroying everything. —Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English tynder; akin to Old High German zuntra tinder, Old English tendan to kindle

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tinder

• cinder
• hinder
• linder
• winder

Kids Definition

tinder

noun

tin·​der ˈtin-dər 

: a material that burns easily and can be used as kindling