combustible

adjective

kəm-ˈbə-stə-bəl How to pronounce combustible (audio)
Definition of combustiblenext
as in explosive
capable of catching or being set on fire don't store oily rags and other combustible materials in a hot attic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 combustible Was the stock of this cleaner energy company (non-combustible engine) broken because of a hedge fund blowup? — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 July 2026 That logic works in many ecosystems, particularly in forests where vegetation itself accounts for most of the combustible material. — Phil De Luna, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 How to prepare for wildfire evacuations Cal Fire recommends maintaining at least 100 feet of defensible space around homes by clearing vegetation and other combustible materials that could fuel a wildfire. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 27 July 2026 The appliance ignited nearby combustible materials, sparking the blaze. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for combustible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combustible
  1. explosive
  2. combustive
  3. flammable
  4. inflammable
  5. ignitable
  6. fiery
Adjective
  • But that success means investors and analysts now expect nothing short of explosive growth every quarter.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • The cannonballs — the largest about the size of grapefruits and weighing about as much as a shot put ball — were inactive and didn’t contain any explosive material or active components, the TSA said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of explosive
Adjective
  • That’s made the voter roll controversy particularly combustive in West Bengal, where almost a third of the 90 million-strong population are Muslim and where the BJP has been making inroads in recent years.
    — Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Definition of combustive
Adjective
  • Today, various combinations are packed into cardboard spheres or cylinders—shells—along with fuses coated in a flammable slurry, then sealed inside kraft paper and shot from fibreglass mortars.
    — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • All of these potentially flammable items should be air-dried on a clothesline or drying rack.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of flammable
Adjective
  • Many works of Georges Méliès are even believed to have been burned as the original negatives, as the nitrate film stock is incredibly fragile and inflammable.
    — Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Flammable and inflammable mean the same thing.
    — Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of inflammable
Adjective
  • Residents can dispose of corrosive, toxic, ignitable or reactive substances.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
  • The facility at 6411 Oak Canyon was slated to close at the end of 2025, but city leaders changed plans recently and area residents can continue to visit the site to dispose of paint cans, batteries and anything that contains corrosive, toxic, ignitable or reactive ingredients.
    — Victoria Le, Oc Register, 31 Dec. 2025
Definition of ignitable
Adjective
  • Admired for their striking beauty, the fiery blossoms of the peacock flower have long captured the attention of people across the Atlantic world.
    — Kari Traylor, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2026
  • The testimony followed years of fiery disputes between Paul and Fauci — both medical doctors — over the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the origins of the virus that caused it.
    — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 29 July 2026
Definition of fiery

Browse Nearby Words

combusted
combustible
combusting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Combustible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combustible. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on combustible

Nglish: Translation of combustible for Spanish Speakers

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