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
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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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The driver switches the radio silent, the world glowing around them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
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The reports from the back fields were immediately glowing.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Duck Orange was a favorite and flaming Cherries Jubilee prepared at tableside.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
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On his forearm, Johnson sports a tattoo of the Skyway Grill’s flaming burger logo.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the West, the temperatures were sometimes blazing hot.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
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The bigger Air can also reach a brighter 600 nits, compared with the 500-nit max of the 11-inch model, whereas both Pros can get much brighter, with a max output of 1,000 nits on standard-definition content and a blazing 1,600 nits on HDR video.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Casting two of the most smoldering contemporary actors on the planet clearly stacks the deck, and carries on the long tradition of pairing a dashing figure of brooding handsomeness (Laurence Olivier, Ralph Fiennes) with a breathless screen beauty (Merle Oberon, Juliette Binoche).—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combusting. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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