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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
CBS News, 8 May 2025
It is thought that a malfunction during the engine burn left the craft unable to reach the velocity needed to escape orbit and reach Venus, according to NASA.
—James Powel, USA Today, 7 May 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
In addition to known problems securing legitimate lethal injection drugs, autopsies have shown that lethal injection causes a rush of fluid into the lungs, and burns have been found on bodies after electrocutions.
—CBS News, 8 May 2025
It is thought that a malfunction during the engine burn left the craft unable to reach the velocity needed to escape orbit and reach Venus, according to NASA.
—James Powel, USA Today, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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This pageant of puppetry includes a flutter of butterflies, a goat with a plaintive bleat, a menagerie of wild animals and, at one point, a school of glowing fish.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
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Reserve a late-afternoon session in the upstairs tasting room, order cheese and charcuterie, and watch the glowing sun set on the hills.—
Anya von Bremzen,
AFAR Media,
8 May 2025
Verb
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As if this summer's scorching weather prediction from the Old Farmer's Almanac wasn't enough to set us all—ahem—ablaze, hurricane season 2025 is also poised to set some records.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
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Scrutiny circled them after Game 3, when a struggling Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t defer to a scorching Williams down the stretch.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
10 May 2025
Verb
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With more fans steaming, says Pitaro, ESPN will offer features that allow users to personalize their content.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
13 May 2025
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Don’t forget to take advantage of the signature St. Regis butler service, which will promptly fulfill requests for packing needs, garment pressing, restaurant reservations and a cup of steaming chamomile tea to unwind after a long flight.—
Natasha Amar,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Verb
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Through the Looking Glass (2015) Most on-theme: Rihanna Yes, Sarah Jessica Parker wore what appeared to be a flaming headdress.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
EW.com,
5 May 2025
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On stage with her family last night, Bey wore a Loewe crystal white and black-piped cowboy shirt and a flowing ruby red check skirt, with flaming thigh high cowboy boots.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
Verb
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That hasn’t stopped Liverpool using him to distract and deceive opponents when free kicks are won, however.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
8 May 2025
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She was also found guilty of deceiving other officials about the man's identity.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 May 2025
Verb
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Arepas are corn pancakes that can be consumed on their own or with an array of garnishes and fixings.—
Cat Sposato,
AFAR Media,
15 May 2025
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The children who consumed the cookies were transported to Christ Hospital and have since been released, according to WFLD.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
14 May 2025
Noun
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The quick video opened with footage of a rushing river and rolled to show a closeup of flowering branches, blue bells and an aerial view of a brook.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
1 May 2025
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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
Verb
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An Early Start On May 17 Daylight had already been blazing across Tromsø’s hills for hours when the day’s events began.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
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African cinema has arrived in Cannes determined to blaze its own trail amid signs of a slowdown in investment across the continent from the world’s leading streamers.—
Kevin Cassidy,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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