as in burning
being on fire
combusting oxygen tanks turned the fire on the evacuees' bus into a raging inferno
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in glowing
to be on fire especially brightly
anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of combusting
Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
Crews detected no visible signs of the fire, such as flames, smoke or perceptibly combusting material.
—Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combusting
Adjective
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Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
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Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Inside, the minimalist lobby doubles as a gallery, and the in-house restaurant, The Hive, is dripping with sculptures of glowing honeycombs, kudzu vines, and swarms of bees.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
15 Sep. 2025
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The mural, which took nearly three years to complete, features glowing, starry skies punctuated by larger-than-life characters and magical landscapes that don’t exist in our realm.—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
AFAR Media,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Competition, passive-aggressive zingers and hard feelings turn their relationship into a flaming hot mess.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
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Firemen spoke of seeing tenants sitting outside flaming buildings with their belongings neatly arranged beside them.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Trump’s legal action was only the most obvious manifestation of the all-guns-blazing approach the president had taken, with others in his orbit following his lead.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
9 Sep. 2025
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All three of the Tigers’ offensive corners came in the frame, with two leading to a couple blazing shots from Poire.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combusting. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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