Synonyms of burns

burns 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of burn

1

as in glows

to be on fire especially brightly

all evening long we just sat there, contentedly watching the Yule log burn

Synonyms & Similar Words

• glows
• flames
• blazes
• fires
• combusts
• flickers
• gleams
• shines
• smolders
• ignites
• goes up in flames
• melts
• scorches
• kindles
• cooks
• bakes
• sparks
• wavers
• roasts
• sputters
• lights (up)
• enkindles
• brightens
• flashes
• flares (up)
• catches
• radiates
• beams
• sparkles
• chars
• deflagrates
• glistens
• beats (down)
• glints
• glares
• shimmers
• broils
• swelters
• glitters
• glimmers
• twinkles
• gutters
• scintillates

2

as in scorches

to set (something) on fire

it is not a good idea to try to burn old papers in the sink

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scorches
• ignites
• fires
• lights
• torches
• kindles
• inflames
• enkindles
• illumines
• bakes
• illuminates
• immolates
• cooks
• incinerates
• ashes
• broils
• sets off
• brightens
• lightens
• chars
• scalds
• stokes
• relights
• deflagrates
• radiates
• rekindles
• irradiates
• sears
• kilns
• cremates
• reignites
• frizzles
• banks
• scathes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extinguishes
• quenches
• puts out
• chokes
• smothers
• suffocates
• stamps (out)
• douses
• snuffs (out)
• obscures
• darkens
• dims
• blackens
• dulls

3

as in steams

to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger

he came home burning with anger because of a reprimand at work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• steams
• rages
• boils
• fumes
• storms
• shakes
• foams
• seethes
• rankles
• sizzles
• smolders
• sees red
• agitates
• inflames
• rants
• raves
• fulminates
• bristles
• flares (up)
• chafes
• convulses
• frets
• roils
• stews

4

as in flames

to shine with a bright harsh light

the bright streetlight outside our motel room burned all night long

Synonyms & Similar Words

• glows
• flames
• glares
• blazes
• gleams
• flares
• flashes
• beats
• glances
• radiates
• sparkles
• beams
• glistens
• glints
• shimmers
• glitters
• twinkles
• glimmers
• dazzles
• blinds
• scintillates
• glisters
• dazes
• bedazzles

5

as in deceives

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

• deceives
• tricks
• fools
• stings
• kids
• teases
• misleads
• juggles
• deludes
• snows
• misguides
• catches
• misinforms
• sucks in
• beguiles
• suckers
• strings along
• hoodwinks
• has on
• has
• bamboozles
• spoofs
• cheats
• dupes
• takes in
• bluffs
• hoaxes
• humbugs
• cozens
• does a number on
• gaffs
• gulls
• fakes out
• cons
• buffaloes
• hornswoggles
• gammons
• sticks
• bleeds
• snookers
• pulls one's leg
• pulls the wool over one's eyes
• leads one down the garden path
• puts on
• defrauds
• shortchanges
• squeezes
• hustles
• diddles
• swindles
• flimflams
• chisels
• mulcts
• skins
• fleeces
• rooks
• euchres

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reveals
• exposes
• uncovers
• shows up
• unmasks
• tells
• discloses
• debunks
• undeceives
• divulges
• unveils
• uncloaks
• disillusions
• disenchants
• disabuses

6

as in consumes

to make complete use of

heedlessly burning the country's resources without any concern for future generations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• consumes
• spends
• drains
• exhausts
• absorbs
• reduces
• eats
• uses
• depletes
• devours
• expends
• runs out of
• decreases
• plays out
• draws down
• empties
• wastes
• uses up
• diminishes
• lowers
• downsizes
• weakens
• blows
• dwindles
• lessens
• undermines
• cleans (out)
• bankrupts
• debilitates
• saps
• impoverishes
• cripples
• abates
• disables
• enfeebles
• dissipates
• de-escalates
• dries up
• guzzles
• runs through
• squanders
• lavishes
• throws away
• misspends
• fritters (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increases
• replaces
• renews
• augments
• repairs
• enlarges
• reinforces
• enforces
• strengthens
• restores
• saves
• preserves
• revives
• conserves
• bolsters
• rebuilds
• fortifies

burns

2 of 2

noun

plural of burn, British

as in brooks

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

• brooks
• creeks
• runs
• streams
• rills
• rivulets
• runnels
• streamlets
• tributaries
• becks
• brooklets
• canals
• washes
• bayous
• bourns
• gills
• freshets
• kills
• runlets
• sloughs
• runoffs
• arroyos
• cuts
• freshes
• races
• coulees
• waterways
• cutoffs
• watercourses
• channels
• guts
• billabongs
• branches
• distributaries
• affluents
• influents
• millstreams
• millraces
• confluents

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of burns

Verb

The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra burns following a Russian strike overnight. —Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 15 June 2026

At the same time, your body burns fewer calories at rest. —Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2026

Specifically, SpaceX can complete its next-generation rocket Starship, which burns more oxygen than its workhorse Falcon rocket. —Jeff Marks,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 10 June 2026

The set comes with 35 sticks, each of which burns for up to 25 minutes, and a ceramic incense holder. —Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026

Sheets burns to be an everyday player, to contribute. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2026

Drafty rooms, open windows, ceiling fans, and uneven surfaces can disrupt the flame, causing uneven melting, excessive soot, or wax that burns faster on one side than the other. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 28 May 2026

No amount of venture capital spin can alter the basic math of a business model that burns billions to eliminate its own revenue stream. —Sunil Sharan, Fortune, 27 May 2026

Nate burns the toast during breakfast! —Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 27 May 2026

Noun

State biologists also consider prescribed burns, 88,000 of which take place each year, as essential for restoring prairies, forests and marshes with new growth. —Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2026

Despite unpredictable fire conditions, Fleming was able to rescue the man, who was transported to a hospital and treated for third-degree burns. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026

More than 17,000 coffeemakers sold online have been recalled after dozens of consumers reported suffering burns from hot liquid and steam unexpectedly released during use. —Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 12 June 2026

Police made contact in the parking lot with the woman, who was in tears and had cigarette burns on her legs, the affidavit says. —Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 11 June 2026

Jacob Smith, 20, remains in recovery at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento from third-degree burns covering his face, neck, hands and shoulders. —Richard Ramos, CBS News, 11 June 2026

The 11 people killed after a chemical tank ruptured at a pulp and paper mill in Washington state last month all suffered chemical burns, officials said Thursday while releasing the autopsy results. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 11 June 2026

The Browns are a moribund, bad team that few people other than those who risk severe burns sailing on Lake Erie know anything about. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026