ASHES Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

ashes 1 of 2

plural noun

as in rubble

the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed a new and more splendid city was built on the ashes of the old

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

ashes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ash

as in incinerates

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ashes

Verb

With the transformer clicked on, one associate of Blaine and Anneliese's immediately incinerates.

— Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
In 2025, French firm Veolia flexed its global leadership in PFAS treatment by opening a massive plant in Delaware that filters PFAS from water and incinerates it to break the bond between fluorine and carbon, one of the strongest in chemistry.

— Don Steinberg, Time, 30 Apr. 2026

Definition of incinerates

Verb

This time around, Connect 3 returns to Camp Rock for a music challenge that ignites feuds among the competitors and campers.

— Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
Compressed gas ejects the missile from its vertical launch cell before its main engine ignites above the ship.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026

Definition of ignites

Verb

The analysis asserts that spark that lights the fire sale probably won’t emerge from European markets, but that’s not saying much.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 19 Aug. 2026
Mereu’s sure hand with his actors is a saving grace, with Perrone and Maenza particularly well-cast, and DP Francesco Piras lights them to perfection while being in perfect synch with the director’s reverence for the natural world.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of lights

Verb

While Martin Scorsese called it one of the scariest movies of all time, The Uninvited kindles a wonderful romance between Rick and Stella.

— Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
The star of Big Little Lies confessed her new film, Caught Stealing, kindles a powerful yearning for some aspects of the era.

— Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Definition of kindles

Verb

Impossibly juicy to its core, the chicken is served with a clever tofu-mustard sauce that’s tangy, savory, and smooth (not unlike ranch but also definitely not ranch) and a winning, aromatic jiao chili sauce that burns with a sweet heat.

— The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
When applied to weeds, vinegar burns the leaves and foliage but not the root system.

— Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of burns

Verb

Picture Angel Reese grabbing a rebound and passing to Caitlin Clark, who then fires down the floor to Paige Bueckers, who drives to the goal and fools the help defender with a dish to the best player on the planet.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The fact is, MLB’s next expansion derby isn’t going to be won by the city that wakes up after Commissioner Rob Manfred fires the starting gun.

— Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of fires

Verb

Asthma is a chronic condition that inflames the airways and can make breathing difficult.

— Sanja Jelic, Verywell Health, 29 Apr. 2026
The episode inflames the diplomatic spat between the two countries that began over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about Taiwan.

— J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026

Definition of inflames

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.

Browse Nearby Words

ashen

ashes

ashing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ashes. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of ashes

plural noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

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

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes