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
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
Julia and Henry’s connection is a slower burn, by contrast, and the more grounded of the two to start.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 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
With the damage effectively taking out their power source and other life support supplies, the Apollo 13 crew had to abruptly abandon their trek to the lunar surface and use several engine burns to swing around the far side of the moon and put themselves on a course back toward Earth.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
Julia and Henry’s connection is a slower burn, by contrast, and the more grounded of the two to start.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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Flaky croissants warm in glowing bakeries, accordion notes drift through the air, and lovers linger by the Seine.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Photographer Josh Dury captured a breathtaking view of Perseid meteors raining down alongside the glowing band of the Milky Way towards the Durdle Door rock formation on the coast of Dorset in the UK.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And there’s a chance next summer’s temperatures could fall back to 2024’s scorching numbers if the A’s decide to play more day games at Sutter Health Park.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Wildfires have already made headlines this year, thanks to the horrific fires in the Los Angeles area in January, which scorched tens of thousands of acres and left dozens, perhaps hundreds dead.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Loud marching bands paraded randomly through the cobblestoned streets and alleys, food vendors attracted crowds with their steaming hot Cervelat and St. Galler bratwurst, plates of creamy raclette, and fresh pints of local beer.—
Ben Davidson Correspondent,
Oc Register,
6 Aug. 2025
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Michael Mann–style shots of characters considering their lives while staring into the middle distance at crashing waves or steaming fields of lava are beautiful and plentiful.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But translated into presidential pictures, the ballroom is actually one and a third football fields, 15 flaming Hindenburgs, or alternatively, three Trump Tower apartments based on their property fraud size.—
Pat Beall,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Aug. 2025
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The flaming parachutes burnt up in 2.3 to three seconds each take, so Cruise had to think fast — 16 times in a row.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
5 June 2025
Verb
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But appearances can be deceiving because there's a lot of bright side here.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
14 Aug. 2025
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Language can easily deceive The deeper issue is that language itself is a tool of manipulation.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Tailgating or consuming alcohol in the festival parking lot is prohibited and will be strictly enforced.—
Kaycee Sloan,
The Enquirer,
7 Aug. 2025
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Together, these two foods accounted for nearly one in every seven calories consumed in the average American diet, according to the CDC report.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The brook had left its channel and begun a new channel across the valley.—
John Seabrook,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
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Smaller brooks, ordinarily not containing flowing water, became raging torrents which could be crossed only by swimming.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
Verb
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That 3,000-nit display is wild, staying readable in blazing sun and underwater.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
6 Aug. 2025
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Wildfire season in the US is far from over, and smoke issues will persist as long as fires blaze.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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