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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in creek
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
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Recent Examples of burn
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
An evacuation order when into effect on Sunday night for the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst burn scar areas.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 16 Feb. 2026
Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 12 Feb. 2026
The nebula for the RTLS burn on Crew 12 was spectacular!
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burn
Verb
Heavy rains hit Southern California on Monday, triggering flood watches and wind advisories in Los Angeles and evacuation warnings in burn scar areas, including alerts over the threat of mud and debris flows at the site of the Palisades fire.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
An evacuation order when into effect on Sunday night for the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst burn scar areas.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
Without the burns, understories grew in, creating perfect tick habitat.
—Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 12 Feb. 2026
The nebula for the RTLS burn on Crew 12 was spectacular!
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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Outdoors, a long communal dining table sits in the courtyard beneath glowing string lights, right next to the koi pond.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The same pressure that consumed Glenn and teammate Ilia Malinin could not even touch Liu’s glowing aura.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Saturated in the heatwave colors of Australia’s scorching Red Center, with its searing blue skies and bright orange sands, Wolfram makes the grim, lawless backwater of Wake in Fright seem positively cosmopolitan by comparison.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
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Unfazed as the first shooter of the event — and the first player introduced to the masses — Knueppel scorched the nets to the tune of 27 points.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When in doubt, sauté or steam the vegetables before adding them to the muffin tin.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Feb. 2026
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It can also be used to wrap sandwiches or other items before heating to keep them secure, or for steaming proteins and vegetables, helping retain their moisture and nutrients.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Investigators later realized the flaming vehicle was registered to Lovely's ex, according to the complaint.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Accompanied by ringing bells, ethereal music and chanting hymns, the priests gracefully moved their arms in unison, holding up various flaming brass lamps during the 45-minute serene and powerful ritual.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Neglecting The Kitchen Sink Your sink may look spick-and-span, but looks can be deceiving.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
-
But a superficial comparison between Delta, United, and American across certain headline metrics can be deceiving.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But food science specialists say the coatings are safe to consume and are applied in very small amounts, according to Donald Schwan, department chair, distinguished professor, and extension specialist in food science at Rutgers University.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
-
If power is lost for less than two hours, most perishable food should be safe to consume.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Specialty shops, coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants could share 200 acres of trails, pocket parks, wooded landscapes and a lazy creek with a combination of residential options.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Still others believe the treatment facility will create nuisance odors or affect air quality, or that treated effluent discharged into the dry creek that feeds into Village Creek will stagnate, attracting mosquitoes.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The show captures the frenzy of all-consuming lust and the chaos that arises in the wake of a blazing hot relationship without true depth or knowledge of the other partner.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Known for his blazing speed, Hill is an eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro through 10 NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and Dolphins.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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