as in burning
being on fire
combusting oxygen tanks turned the fire on the evacuees' bus into a raging inferno
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 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
-
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
-
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
-
While the shower’s peak rate is a modest 20 meteors per hour, its swift, bright meteors often leave glowing trails.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Myths like the Paulding Light, a mysterious glowing orb that hovers over the train tracks just across the border.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
On his forearm, Johnson sports a tattoo of the Skyway Grill’s flaming burger logo.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Bowie sported a flaming red mullet, glamorous outfits and pale white makeup for the character, who became a lasting symbol of the 1970s.—
Alex Heigl,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Things quickly spiral out of control when secrets are exposed and guns start blazing.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The latest uptick continued a blazing-hot stretch for gold.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combusting. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
