combustible

adjective

com·​bus·​ti·​ble kəm-ˈbə-stə-bəl How to pronounce combustible (audio)
1
: capable of combustion
combustible materials, such as paper, leaves, and sawdust
combustible gases
2
: easily excited
a combustible temper
The coach had to keep the combustible players under control.
combustibility noun
combustible noun
combustibly adverb

Examples of combustible in a Sentence

The fuel is highly combustible. don't store oily rags and other combustible materials in a hot attic
Recent Examples on the Web The fire started around 9 p.m. Monday at the Select Distributors facility, located at 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck, a supplier known for selling combustible materials as well as novelty items and general merchandise. Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024 Such labs use butane, a highly combustible gas commonly used in lighters and camp stoves, to extract a potent, waxy cannabis concentrate known as hash oil or honey oil from marijuana plants. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024 Vinyl chloride is a highly combustible gas used to make plastic and other synthetic materials. Roxana Saberi, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2024 Caltrans also suggests requiring that risks involving flammable, combustible, explosive or other hazardous materials stored under structures be addressed immediately. Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2024 The level of Palestinian anger, combined with settler violence, is combustible. Roger Cohen, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024 Hezbollah’s entrance injected a combustible new element into the fighting, as Israel reeled from a sophisticated multi-pronged attack that has left at least 700 of its citizens dead and more than 2,000 wounded, according to Israeli media. Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2023 The evolution to mean a small stick coated with a combustible mixture for lighting fires is a more modern development. Erik Kain, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 Oakford also spoke to me about the ways that Teixeira’s case showed the potentially combustible mix of technology, human frailty and failures of authority. Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'combustible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin combustibilis, from Latin combustus (past participle of combūrere "to destroy with fire, combust") + -ibilis -ible

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of combustible was in 1529

Dictionary Entries Near combustible

Cite this Entry

“Combustible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combustible. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

combustible

adjective
com·​bus·​ti·​ble kəm-ˈbəs-tə-bəl How to pronounce combustible (audio)
1
: capable of being burned
2
: catching fire or burning easily
combustibility noun
combustible noun

Medical Definition

combustible

adjective
com·​bus·​ti·​ble kəm-ˈbəs-tə-bəl How to pronounce combustible (audio)
: capable of combustion
combustible anesthetics

More from Merriam-Webster on combustible

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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