arson

Definition of arsonnext
as in fire
the illegal burning of a building or other property; the crime of setting fire to something The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but investigators suspect arson. The town has suffered a rash of arson attacks.

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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 arson Farinacci was arrested Monday and was charged with first-degree arson. Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 He’s expected to be arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Court on a federal arson charge Thursday. Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026 Denton faces up to three years in state prison and must register as an arson offender, prosecutors said. Jason Green, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026 Nowels said first-degree arson was the charge supported by probable cause at that stage of the investigation and cautioned that the case could change as authorities gathered additional evidence. Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for arson
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arson
Noun
  • Since erupting Saturday, three fires in Spokane County have destroyed more than 700 structures, displaced tens of thousands of residents and threatened communities.
    Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities haven't stated a possible cause for the other two fires.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Very low humidity paired with the bone dry, hot conditions will elevate wildfire risk across Central and Northern California.
    Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • With Colorado's dry winters and sometimes windy weather, overhead lines have become a wildfire threat to communities.
    Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The blazes had collectively charred some 8,000 acres Monday afternoon with 0% containment.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles last fall sued SoCal Edison alleging the company’s negligence caused the Eaton Fire and another blaze, seeking to recover tens of millions of dollars in damage to thousands of acres of Angeles National Forest Land.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Arson.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arson. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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