1
as in to glow
to be on fire especially brightly
all evening long we just sat there, contentedly watching the Yule log burn
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2
as in to scorch
to set (something) on fire
it is not a good idea to try to burn old papers in the sink
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
he came home burning with anger because of a reprimand at work
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4
as in to flame
to shine with a bright harsh light
the bright streetlight outside our motel room burned all night long
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5
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
he's been burned before, so he's careful to double-check such claims now
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to consume
to make complete use of
heedlessly burning the country's resources without any concern for future generations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in brook
a natural body of running water smaller than a river
the walkers forded the shallow burn and then came upon a field of gorse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burn
Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
William Lucas, 8, survived after Tonya Lucas’ boyfriend at the time rescued him from the burning home.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023
David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2025
Even today, Kaplan is finding new uses for silk at the Kaplan Lab, testing the success of tiny silk particles as drug delivery systems and of transportable silk sprays as treatments for burns.
—Amy Paturel, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Verb
Such interactions can light a fuse that may burn throughout a school year, only to erupt when students arrive for a new semester driving their parents’ car.
—Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
William Lucas, 8, survived after Tonya Lucas’ boyfriend at the time rescued him from the burning home.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023
Noun
The woman was then flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami to be treated for extreme burns, said Guzman.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2025
Even today, Kaplan is finding new uses for silk at the Kaplan Lab, testing the success of tiny silk particles as drug delivery systems and of transportable silk sprays as treatments for burns.
—Amy Paturel, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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The glowing pink nebula and snakelike dark clouds are the remnant of the birth site of the stars in the cluster.—
Alan Taylor,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2025
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With its lightweight texture, glowing finish, and ability to safeguard against sun damage and hyperpigmentation, this has all the makings of a universally appealing sunscreen—and has quickly become a staple in my skin-care rotation.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Comic Cole Garrett was first up, his manic style scorching the walls.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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The park’s Furnace Creek area is particularly scorching.—
Brooke Baitinger,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The conventional exploits are paced with tasty visual surprises (a steaming roast chicken, a succulent pork chop).—
Armond White,
National Review,
16 Apr. 2025
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The eager anticipation was for a hot spot that’s steaming all day.—
Jonathan Thompson,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Much like The Game Kitchen’s Blasphemous (2019) and Blasphemous 2 (2023), the pixel art utilized here is highly detailed, rendering backgrounds with depth like the flaming ruins of the Hayabusa clan’s village or cityscapes surrounded by rivers of blood.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2025
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Comments Danny McBride, do not step on that flaming bag on your doorstep.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Jurors found Peters guilty in August for using someone else’s security badge to give an expert affiliated with My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell access to the Mesa County election system and deceiving other officials about that person’s identity.—
Colleen Slevin,
Twin Cities,
22 Apr. 2025
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Stribling tried to deceive officers by saying Bailei was shot in a robbery, The Detroit News reported.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Nor could the authors conclude definitively that the chimps were deliberately consuming ethanol-rich fruits and sharing it with their compatriots.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
21 Apr. 2025
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Crews also conduct test burns before igniting a larger area, to verify how effectively fuels are consumed and how smoke will travel.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The 1851-52 painting by John Everett Millais is one of the most popular renderings of Ophelia's death, which depicts her lying, almost peacefully, among flowers in a brook.—
Audrey Gibbs,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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The mass-participation ball game involves two teams, whose players are decided according to which side of the town's small brook they were born on.—
Alan Taylor,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Hairston blazed a ridiculous 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and has legit outside-corner athleticism.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2025
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The man said his condition has improved significantly since he was found inside a blazing home on Feb. 17.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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