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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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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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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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
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as in combustible
capable of catching or being set on fire
don't put something so burnable as a towel next to the stove
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burn
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2025
After Young hit rookie tight end Mitchell Evans for a 4-yard TD and the Dolphins went three-and-out, Dowdle was back on the field for two carries that forced Miami to burn its first two timeouts.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
For example, SpaceX employed a new landing burn strategy with Super Heavy today, trying out an engine configuration that will be used by the next-gen version of the booster.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Verb
Based on calculations from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, the solar installation is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to burning 621,480 gallons of gasoline each year.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2025
After Young hit rookie tight end Mitchell Evans for a 4-yard TD and the Dolphins went three-and-out, Dowdle was back on the field for two carries that forced Miami to burn its first two timeouts.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
Every relationship in my life is a slow burn.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
For example, SpaceX employed a new landing burn strategy with Super Heavy today, trying out an engine configuration that will be used by the next-gen version of the booster.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Noun
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Michelle turned back, but the other two children went walking along a trail near what is now I-395 and came across a brook.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
1 Oct. 2025
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The property, which features lush greenery and old-growth trees set among babbling brooks and water features, is open to the public, and the gardens have served as a popular spot for weddings over the decades in addition to an annual Mother’s Day tea that Weston said attracts hundreds each year.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As in prior moral panics, the technology proved to be an easy and tangible scapegoat, which enabled Americans to avoid grappling with the complex social factors—like deindustrialization, urban decay, and disillusioned suburban children—that led to a combustible situation ripe for tragedy.—
Time,
Time,
8 Oct. 2025
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Rinderknecht — who once lived in the Pacific Palisades area — likely used a lighter that set fire to combustible material such as vegetation or paper, authorities alleged in the complaint.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While the rain will fall over the course of days rather than a few hours, excessive runoff can still pose flood risk around streams, creeks, washes and low-lying areas and roadways.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
10 Oct. 2025
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The design of the Grosche Milano Stone stovetop espresso maker, a speckled stone that looks like the bottom of a creek, gives your stovetop coffee maker a contemporary look that’s suited for a modern kitchen.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The one piece that the Chiefs are arguably still missing is an explosive rusher at the running back position, where Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have split responsibilities to this point.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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The manufacturing facility, Accurate Energetic Systems, lies roughly 60 miles west of Nashville and crafts highly explosive products for the military and industrial companies.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The training introduces the concepts used in stream team monitoring such as hydrology, natural and human impact on streams and monitoring methods.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Oct. 2025
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Urban area and small stream flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Methanol is a clear, odorless, highly flammable liquid found in antifreeze, varnish and fuel.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
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Keep flammable elements from coming into contact with the lightbulbs.—
Emily Williams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And all this against an inflammable backdrop of geopolitical crises including but not limited to the Israel-Hamas war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.—
John Leicester,
Quartz,
15 Apr. 2024
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Heat also stresses old electrical systems — insulation breaks down; lubricants in relays dry out — and a not-insignificant amount of the subway’s electrical wiring dates to the 1920s and 1930s, some of it cloth-covered, inflammable, and pervious to water.—
Curbed,
Curbed,
28 July 2023
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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