ablaze

adjective

ə-ˈblāz How to pronounce ablaze (audio)
Definition of ablazenext
1
as in burning
being on fire the entire block was ablaze by the time firefighters arrived

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illuminated
filled with much light that night the ballroom, ablaze with light, looked very different from the curtained room it usually was by day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ablaze Most of it would be ablaze the following week, five days later. — Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026 Mets fans may note that neither Sproat nor Williams is setting the world ablaze in 2026 — perhaps that will give you pause before getting too excited about Smith, Pitre and Hill. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Now the area was ablaze; Aragüés found out not long ago that, sadly, the memorial had burned. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026 The Russian online news outlet Astra reported Saturday that a Ukrainian drone set an oil refinery in Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan, ablaze. — Vasilisa Stepanenko, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2026 Wildberries also reported that its warehouse in Sarapul in the region of Udmurtia was struck by a Ukrainian drone and set ablaze. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 Wildberries also reported that its warehouse in Sarapul in the region of Udmurtia, more than 600 miles from Ukraine, was struck by a Ukrainian drone and set ablaze. — CBS News, 30 July 2026 Surveillance footage reportedly at that location showed a man pouring what investigators believe was gasoline onto the altar before setting it ablaze. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 Next to it, a list of how many men were on the scene; the number of engines, planes, and helicopters; and how many hectares of land were ablaze. — Gerry Hadden, Christian Science Monitor, 27 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ablaze
  1. burning
  2. illuminated
  3. blazing
  4. light
  5. flaming
  6. bright
  7. aflame
  8. alight
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Definition of burning
Adjective
  • Several speakers, including some as young as 10, told the City Council that the illuminated sports fields were needed for Davis’ young athletes.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
  • But with those distinctive, and complex, twin-star-design LED headlights, accentuated by lovely rose-gold detailing and more illuminated Maybach logos, the vehicle does have a stronger, more individual face.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 29 July 2026
Definition of illuminated
Adjective
  • Anrabess Sleeveless Maxi Sundress, $44 During summer’s blazing-hot weather, wearing cotton pieces like this Chartou Shift Dress and Chouyatou Striped style is a must for keeping cool.
    — Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 25 July 2026
  • Allergens, hot temps and blazing rays can make eyes extra scratchy and dry.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 July 2026
Definition of blazing
Adjective
  • Just outside the main restaurant is the lobby lounge and bar for cocktails and light snacks, although there are no views.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • That extra size collects far more light, sharpens detail (especially on planets) and gives brighter views of fainter deep sky objects.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of light
Adjective
  • The big righty with flaming red hair and a long, bushy beard was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 3rd round of the 2016 MLB draft.
    — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Johnny then becomes bonded to a supernatural demon called the Spirit of Vengeance and is able to transform into a flaming, skeletal biker.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 26 July 2026
Definition of flaming
Adjective
  • With no bright moon competing against faint meteors, observers under rural skies could see 60 to 100 meteors per hour, while even suburban observers should enjoy a steady stream of shooting stars.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Think jelly sandals, silk scarves and headwraps, blue eyeshadow, bright jewel-tone dresses, or blouses with fun accents like feather cuffs.
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bright
Adjective
  • The gas station was already aflame, when policeman Mykhailo Tsypliakov and his colleagues ran in to help.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • But the action is nullified by the fact that Ono assumes the stoic posture of the Buddhist monks seen in the news at the time setting themselves aflame in protest of the Vietnam War.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of aflame
Adjective
  • Notably, last week, the famous Fontainebleau Forest near Paris was set alight, destroying 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of woodland.
    — Simon Constable, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
  • In December, 2024, a synagogue in Melbourne was destroyed in an arson attack; seven months later, another was set alight during Shabbat.
    — Oscar Schwartz, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of alight

Browse Nearby Words

abjuring
ablaze
able
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ablaze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ablaze. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on ablaze

Nglish: Translation of ablaze for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All