tinder

tin·der | \ ˈtin-dər

How to pronounce tinder (audio)

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Definition of tinder

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 Europe is set for a sweltering and tinder dry summer this year, posing trouble for farmers, utilities and transportation on inland waterways. — Jonathan Tirone, Fortune, "Stuck at home, Europeans face a summer of sweltering temperatures and drought, scientists predict," 16 May 2020 That creates a moisture deficit and dries out the brush and soil, making for tinder box conditions. — Jeff Berardelli, CBS News, "Climate change has doubled extreme fire weather days in California, study shows," 7 Apr. 2020 Too little public health funding was blamed in Austin for acting as tinder to the spread of the HIV outbreak in 2015, which exploded into perhaps then-Gov. — Chris Kenning, The Courier-Journal, "Pence takes on coronavirus after he 'dropped the ball' in an Indiana town riddled with HIV," 27 Feb. 2020 In California, for instance, cities are now investing in goat herds to mow down hillsides covered in weedy, dry vegetation that serves as tinder during the state’s fire season. — Ula Chrobak, Popular Science, "Bugs, hares, and other unexpected animals that control wild fires," 9 Mar. 2020 Few others in the lush coastal region shared his level of concern, even as drought turned the area tinder-dry. — NBC News, "'Ignored and trivialized': Experts warned Australia government before catastrophic blazes," 9 Feb. 2020 There is a hammer end for pounding in stakes or driving nails, along with a very sharp cutting edge for fine work, like shaving tinder, and splitting kindling. — Matthew Every, Outdoor Life, "Weird, Off-Beat, and Cool Guns and Gear from SHOT Show 2020," 11 Feb. 2020 Large parts of forests will die, and the dead trees will become tinder for wildfire. — Allegra Kirkland, Quartz, "What climate change will do to three major American cities by 2100," 18 Oct. 2019 BLOOMBERG SOCIAL Match Group shares soar, fueled by Tinder subscriber growth Like striking a match to a tinder box? — BostonGlobe.com, "Waffle House chair, ex-housekeeper settle sex tape lawsuit," 8 Aug. 2019

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

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Last Updated

26 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Tinder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinder. Accessed 10 Jul. 2020.

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