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
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
Richard Hall, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
But over the same period, emissions from wildfires and prescribed burns increased threefold.
—Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 19 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
Large amounts of the isotope, meanwhile, can be incredibly dangerous, and in addition to increasing cancer risks, can cause burns, radiation sickness, and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
—Richard Hall, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
But over the same period, emissions from wildfires and prescribed burns increased threefold.
—Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Noun
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Ophelia was the love interest of Prince Hamlet in Shakespeare's iconic tragedy, and met her end after climbing a willow tree, falling from a broken branch and subsequently drowning in the brook below after Hamlet rejects her.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The brook had left its channel and begun a new channel across the valley.—
John Seabrook,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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The same tactic allowed Dodgers relievers, who’d been combustible lately, to close it out.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Aug. 2025
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Working in unprepared landscapes puts firefighters' lives at risk, said Alexander Held, a senior expert in fire management at the European Forest Institute, adding authorities should prepare by creating buffer zones and clearing combustible vegetation.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The boy, who was never identified until forensic genealogy recently helped crack the case, had been found beaten to death in the creek on June 13 of that year, according to police.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
It is situated along a creek just off California State Route 2 in Angeles National Forest.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
John Cena returned as Chris Smith, aka Peacemaker, in Season 2 of the series of the same name, with a premiere that was fun, yet explosive, and set the stage for what is to come.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
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My explosive energy on stage may come as a shock to those who have only seen my reserved sides.—
Sara Smith,
Variety,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 1.3 million official U.S. streams Aug. 15-21.—
Kevin Rutherford,
Billboard,
29 Aug. 2025
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Wealthy alumni also provide a healthy revenue stream for athletic departments through donations.—
Nick LoMaglio,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The always flammable Siraj was fined 15 per cent of his match fee and given one demerit point for screaming into the face of Duckett in the third Test at Lord’s, with the two then brushing shoulders.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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Recycling involves carefully collecting disposed batteries—which are highly flammable—dismantling and discharging them.—
Natalie Donback,
Time,
31 July 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 1 Sep. 2025.
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