as in to burn
to be on fire especially brightly
anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of combust
Similar to the show, the comic features a pair of detectives trying to connect the dots behind a strain of explosive deaths, and everyone who’s spontaneously combusted has The Beauty.
—
Barry Levitt, Time, 22 Jan. 2026
Put the two together, and, well, the whole great experiment that is the internet might just combust.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 12 Jan. 2026
Helsley combusted during his time with the Mets this past summer, but a good chunk of that failure could be chalked up to pitch tipping.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
The rounded piston heads, slotted into a rounded chamber to match, offered higher efficiency with less energy lost to heat while fuel is combusted before being sent out as exhaust.
—Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combust
Barry Levitt, Time, 22 Jan. 2026
Put the two together, and, well, the whole great experiment that is the internet might just combust.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 12 Jan. 2026
Helsley combusted during his time with the Mets this past summer, but a good chunk of that failure could be chalked up to pitch tipping.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
The rounded piston heads, slotted into a rounded chamber to match, offered higher efficiency with less energy lost to heat while fuel is combusted before being sent out as exhaust.
—Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combust
Verb
-
Protesters also burned a police station and damaged a school and the offices of a local charity in Gilgit, according to officials.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
-
In all areas of life, optimism lights the spark, while discipline keeps the fire burning.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This hunch was borne out when the astronomers found that, even though the globular clusters were languishing in an empty stretch of Perseus, they were surrounded by a halo of glowing matter — a telltale sign of a galaxy.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Ahead, shop our favorite bronzers for mature skin that deliver warmth, depth, and glow.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Find a bit of room for the profiteroles or Grand Marnier flaming crème brûlée.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Jalisco cartel lieutenants threw up flaming roadblocks in 20 of Mexico’s 32 states, according to the government.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combust. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
