Synonyms of burn

burn 1 of 4

verb (1)

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

• glow
• flame
• blaze
• fire
• combust
• flicker
• smolder
• shine
• ignite
• gleam
• melt
• scorch
• go up in flames
• cook
• kindle
• bake
• roast
• char
• light (up)
• flare (up)
• deflagrate
• enkindle
• catch
• beam
• spark
• broil
• smoulder
• brighten
• waver
• sputter
• flash
• beat (down)
• radiate
• sparkle
• glisten
• glare
• glitter
• swelter
• shimmer
• glint
• twinkle
• gutter
• glimmer
• scintillate

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

• scorch
• ignite
• fire
• light
• kindle
• torch
• inflame
• bake
• enflame
• illumine
• enkindle
• cook
• illuminate
• immolate
• ash
• incinerate
• set off
• char
• lighten
• cremate
• brighten
• broil
• deflagrate
• rekindle
• stoke
• kiln
• relight
• irradiate
• scald
• radiate
• reignite
• sear
• frizzle
• bank
• scathe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extinguish
• put out
• quench
• douse
• choke
• snuff (out)
• smother
• suffocate
• dowse
• dull
• stamp (out)
• dim
• darken
• blacken
• obscure

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

• steam
• rage
• storm
• boil
• shake
• foam
• see red
• sizzle
• fume
• seethe
• rankle
• agitate
• smoulder
• smolder
• rave
• rant
• inflame
• fulminate
• enflame
• flare (up)
• bristle
• convulse
• stew
• chafe
• fret
• roil

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

• glow
• flame
• blaze
• flare
• glare
• flash
• gleam
• beat
• beam
• radiate
• sparkle
• glance
• glisten
• glint
• glitter
• blind
• shimmer
• twinkle
• dazzle
• glimmer
• scintillate
• glister
• bedazzle
• daze

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

• deceive
• trick
• fool
• tease
• kid
• sucker
• mislead
• sting
• suck in
• juggle
• misguide
• delude
• catch
• cheat
• snow
• dupe
• bluff
• take in
• have
• buffalo
• misinform
• hoax
• string along
• beguile
• have on
• bamboozle
• humbug
• hoodwink
• gaff
• gammon
• gull
• con
• spoof
• cozen
• pull one's leg
• fake out
• stick
• snooker
• hornswoggle
• pull the wool over one's eyes
• bleed
• do a number on
• lead one up the garden path
• put on
• lead one down the garden path
• defraud
• skin
• shortchange
• swindle
• chisel
• squeeze
• diddle
• hustle
• mulct
• fleece
• rook
• euchre
• flimflam

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expose
• reveal
• undeceive
• show up
• uncover
• tell
• unmask
• debunk
• disclose
• divulge
• unveil
• uncloak
• disabuse
• disillusion
• disenchant

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

• consume
• spend
• drain
• exhaust
• reduce
• absorb
• use
• eat
• deplete
• expend
• devour
• draw down
• run out of
• use up
• play out
• decrease
• waste
• empty
• diminish
• weaken
• blow
• lessen
• downsize
• dwindle
• clean (out)
• undermine
• bankrupt
• impoverish
• abate
• cripple
• dry up
• lower
• sap
• debilitate
• disable
• dissipate
• enfeeble
• squander
• throw away
• guzzle
• de-escalate
• run through
• lavish
• misspend
• fritter (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• replace
• increase
• renew
• augment
• enforce
• enlarge
• reinforce
• strengthen
• restore
• rebuild
• repair
• save
• preserve
• bolster
• revive
• conserve
• fortify
• reenforce

burn

2 of 4

noun

British

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

• brook
• creek
• stream
• rill
• run
• rivulet
• bayou
• beck
• tributary
• wash
• canal
• bourn
• fresh
• runnel
• bourne
• brooklet
• gill
• streamlet
• runoff
• kill
• runlet
• slough
• race
• cut
• slew
• freshet
• arroyo
• cutoff
• channel
• coulee
• watercourse
• waterway
• slue
• branch
• affluent
• billabong
• gut
• distributary
• confluent
• influent
• millstream
• millrace

burn (up)

3 of 4

verb (2)

as in to annoy

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

seeing people violate smoking bans really burns me up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• annoy
• bother
• bug
• irritate
• persecute
• wear on
• get
• get to
• aggravate
• hack (off)
• put out
• eat
• spite
• rub the wrong way
• anger
• exasperate
• worry
• irk
• vex
• infuriate
• itch
• tease
• rile
• ruffle
• frost
• grate
• get on one's nerves
• pique
• plague
• chafe
• stick in one's craw
• get one's goat
• provoke
• set one's teeth on edge
• gripe
• rasp
• peeve
• nettle
• insult
• gall
• nark
• offend
• upset
• harass
• nag
• enflame
• rouse
• enrage
• hassle
• inflame
• bullyrag
• devil
• outrage
• discomfort
• heckle
• distress
• ballyrag
• antagonize
• harry
• freak (out)
• pester
• exercise
• hagride
• agitate
• unsettle
• perturb
• bait
• badger
• discompose
• disquiet
• affront
• rankle
• undo
• incense
• roil
• unhinge
• madden
• fret
• miff

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• appease
• placate
• please
• pacify
• satisfy
• oblige
• delight
• conciliate
• gratify
• mollify
• propitiate
• content
• comfort
• cheer
• assure
• reassure
• soothe
• quiet
• console
• gladden
• solace

burnable

4 of 4

adjective

as in combustible

capable of catching or being set on fire

don't put something so burnable as a towel next to the stove

Synonyms & Similar Words

• combustible
• explosive
• flammable
• inflammable
• combustive
• ignitable
• fiery
• ignitible
• incendiary
• touchy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fireproof
• noncombustible
• incombustible
• nonflammable
• noninflammable
• unburnable
• nonexplosive
• nonburnable

Phrases Containing burn

• burn (up)
• burn one's ears
• burn out
• slow burn