1
as in to glow
to be on fire especially brightly
all evening long we just sat there, contentedly watching the Yule log burn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to flame
to shine with a bright harsh light
the bright streetlight outside our motel room burned all night long
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 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
Angela Haupt, Time, 23 June 2025
Blacklock told Grist the organization based its wildfire project on research known as the Tamm Review, which found that thinning combined with prescribed burns can reduce wildfire severity by 62 to 72 percent.
—Tom Brown, Wired News, 14 June 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
About half the cases of melanoma that Redford treats every year are related to burns.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 23 June 2025
Blacklock told Grist the organization based its wildfire project on research known as the Tamm Review, which found that thinning combined with prescribed burns can reduce wildfire severity by 62 to 72 percent.
—Tom Brown, Wired News, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
-
The first Tron had played out as a series of face-offs featuring glowing figures against a black background, replicating the blank environment of an arcade screen.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
-
Miguel and Angel were grinning maniacs standing in the middle of the set with their arms around each other’s shoulders, like ballplayers after a winning game surrounded by a circle of glowing fans.—
Helen Schulman,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
In some parts of the U.S., scorching temperatures send people indoors to the comfort of air conditioning, which makes the virus easier to spread.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
26 June 2025
-
With scorching temperatures becoming more common across the country (the Old Farmers' Almanac deemed this the hottest and driest summer for the third year in a row), staying cool at home is top of mind for everyone.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
The situation was on the minds of many who cheered when the Ford steamed from its pier in Norfolk, with tugboats hugging the carrier's hull and sailors lining the sprawling deck in their dress-white uniforms.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 June 2025
-
History trickled into the bitterness between the two sides and left Roberts still steaming even after the Dodgers’ 8-6 win.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Verb
-
There is stabbing and shooting before Derringer and Clarke parachute out of the flaming plane together.—
Caryn James,
HollywoodReporter,
27 June 2025
-
Other images show the flaming sun over the same landscape and alligators wading in the water.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
The person is not trying to deceive or control, but the behavior still affects others and requires self awareness and growth to correct.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
27 June 2025
-
Where was this sense of urgency when the mullahs were attempting to deceive U.N. inspectors while sandbagging U.S. efforts to diplomatically scuttle the country’s nuclear efforts?—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
21 June 2025
Verb
-
The company has consistently consumed cash while struggling to scale production within the competitive semiconductor landscape.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Close to 18% of people who regularly eat fruits reported better sleep, along with 12% of people who consume a lot of vegetables, and 13% of people who drink herbal tea.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
The vast and varied network of the Camino de Santiago has been compared to a river system where small brooks join together to make streams, and those streams come together to make rivers that ‘flow’ to the cathedral.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
-
The surrounding 23 acres the estate sits on are full of trails ripe for exploring, too, and take visitors past historic stone walls, cemeteries, and babbling brooks.—
Blair West,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
More than five months ago, the Eaton wildfire blazed through this Greater Los Angeles community of Altadena.—
Melanie Stetson Freeman,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 June 2025
-
National Park Service When the summer sun is blazing, there’s no better way to cool off than by heading underground.—
Erin Gifford,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share