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

Like the southeast, the Great Plains have been under intense drought for months and experienced strong winds and low humidity this season, which helped fan flames through tinder-dry grasslands. —Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 23 May 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. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 24 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