as in torch
a person who deliberately and unlawfully sets fire to a building or other property
they finally caught the arsonist, but only after he'd set fire to four barns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 arsonist
There probably was no such an arsonist.
—
Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
An arson fire destroys the 43-year-old Globe Theatre on March 8 (the arsonist was never caught, but a firebug had set several blazes in the park that winter).
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Indeed, Knight says the Guinness family claims that the Guinness brewery feared attacks by Fenians and arsonists before Benjamin Guinness’s death.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
His sudden millions have absolutely nothing to do with her career as a leading national racial arsonist.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Days later, arsonists returned to burn what was left of Chinatown.
—Beth Lew-Williams, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
Examples of attacks include everything from graffiti and destruction of statues to arsonists destroying entire churches and assailants attacking churchgoers with deadly weapons.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2025
An arsonist set a fire that damaged the front of the store and some of its interior, according to The Times of Israel.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Wildfires caused by arsonists or thunderstorms and fanned by a heatwave and strong winds wreaked destruction across southern Europe on Wednesday, burning homes and forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee.
—USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
An arson fire destroys the 43-year-old Globe Theatre on March 8 (the arsonist was never caught, but a firebug had set several blazes in the park that winter).
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Indeed, Knight says the Guinness family claims that the Guinness brewery feared attacks by Fenians and arsonists before Benjamin Guinness’s death.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
His sudden millions have absolutely nothing to do with her career as a leading national racial arsonist.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Days later, arsonists returned to burn what was left of Chinatown.
—Beth Lew-Williams, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
Examples of attacks include everything from graffiti and destruction of statues to arsonists destroying entire churches and assailants attacking churchgoers with deadly weapons.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2025
An arsonist set a fire that damaged the front of the store and some of its interior, according to The Times of Israel.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Wildfires caused by arsonists or thunderstorms and fanned by a heatwave and strong winds wreaked destruction across southern Europe on Wednesday, burning homes and forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee.
—USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arsonist
torch
Noun
-
When Biden dropped out of the race in July 2024, Harris picked up his torch and secured the Democratic nomination.—
Greta Bjornson,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Kittle presented a makeshift torch to McCaffrey informing of the nomination for his honoring and supporting of the military.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arsonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arsonist. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share