Thesaurus results for COMBUST

combust

verb

kəm-ˈbəst

Definition of combust next

as in to burn

to be on fire especially brightly anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Make sure there are no overhanging limbs that could combust, cut back and remove nearby grasses, brambles, and underbrush, and have a fire extinguisher ready to deal with any embers that float away. —

Steven John, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026 When a mosquito comes and bites him, the bug immediately tastes the spice in his blood and flies away only to combust moments later. —

Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for combust

Recent Examples of Synonyms for combust

Verb

Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency rescinded several longstanding environmental regulations, including gutting the 2009 endangerment finding and rolling back air quality standards for coal-burning power plants, which advocates say will cause irreparable harm.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
The cladding on the house is called Shou Sugi Ban, which is a Japanese process of preserving wood by pre-burning it and then staining it to [create a durable, fire-retardant material].

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026