as in to burn
to be on fire especially brightly
anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combust
Less than a dozen blocks away from my home and within a mile of downtown Oakland, a multi-ton pile of scrap metal threatens to spontaneously combust under the hot sun.
—
Brian Beveridge, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
When, last year, Oasis announced a reunion tour after 15 years apart, the internet promptly combusted.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2025
But since then, the Musk-Trump partnership has combusted, with the President even threatening to pull federal funding from Musk’s companies, including SpaceX. At the same time, the X platform continues to spark controversial incidents that might alienate some advertisers.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 9 July 2025
Occasionally, a propane or gas tank will slip through the metals screening process causing the tanks to combust when passing through the shredder.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for combust
Brian Beveridge, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
When, last year, Oasis announced a reunion tour after 15 years apart, the internet promptly combusted.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2025
But since then, the Musk-Trump partnership has combusted, with the President even threatening to pull federal funding from Musk’s companies, including SpaceX. At the same time, the X platform continues to spark controversial incidents that might alienate some advertisers.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 9 July 2025
Occasionally, a propane or gas tank will slip through the metals screening process causing the tanks to combust when passing through the shredder.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for combust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combust
Verb
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Crystal Fire has been burning on private land.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
12 Oct. 2025
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Relax by the wood-burning stove or in the bath that offers superb vistas of the water—all while keeping an eye out for wildlife, including sheep.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Known for its glowing marquee and classic signage, the community theater hosts productions year-round, and in October 2025, the lineup includes a whimsical staging of Wizard Of Oz.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
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Each charm is made-to-order and features Prescription Kiss’ signature, glowing opalescent eyes.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, the movie's kinetic animation and Ichabod's rubbery physicality playfully contrast with the truly frightening Horseman and his flaming pumpkin.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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Spotify also shared a graphic of the same design on Instagram, captioning it simply with a key emoji and flaming heart.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combust. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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