as in torches
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
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Recent Examples of arsonists
The arsonists were never identified.
—
Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
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
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
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
Seeing arsonists just set fire to it all is awful.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
In France, arsonists set fire to a dozen Teslas at a dealership in Tolouse, which could be related to radical anti-capitalist groups as well, according to French outlet numerama.
—Emily Forlini, PCMAG, 4 Mar. 2025
Investigators soon determined, and so did the courts, that a motley group of arsonists had intentionally torched the factory, seemingly for the insurance money.
—Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
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
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
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
Seeing arsonists just set fire to it all is awful.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
In France, arsonists set fire to a dozen Teslas at a dealership in Tolouse, which could be related to radical anti-capitalist groups as well, according to French outlet numerama.
—Emily Forlini, PCMAG, 4 Mar. 2025
Investigators soon determined, and so did the courts, that a motley group of arsonists had intentionally torched the factory, seemingly for the insurance money.
—Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arsonists
torches
Noun
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Our picks for the best solar lawn lights that stay on all night include solar globe lights, in-ground lights, lanterns, and even torches.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Jan. 2026
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In long-winter states up north, many parks light cross-country and snowshoe trails with torches or electric lights to keep people active outdoors even when workdays begin and end in the dark.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arsonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arsonists. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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