COMBUSTING Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

combusting 1 of 2

adjective

as in burning

being on fire combusting oxygen tanks turned the fire on the evacuees' bus into a raging inferno

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

combusting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of combust

as in glowing

to be on fire especially brightly anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal

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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

Verb

The element of surprise has mostly worn off, even if Grace tells Faith that one never really gets used to people spontaneously combusting right in front of you. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026 Crews detected no visible signs of the fire, such as flames, smoke or perceptibly combusting material. — Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024 After dozens of fires caused by combusting batteries used in electric scooters and bikes in recent years, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is set to consider imposing new restrictions on the rechargeable devices on Tuesday. — Nora Mishanec, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Dec. 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for combusting

Adjective

Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

Definition of burning

Verb

This nebula, called the Red Spider Nebula, is scuttling around space while its central star, glowing bright red in the middle, ejects bursts of gas and dust.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2026
Don’t miss wearable glass costumes, an interactive botanical soundscape, glowing geometric light sanctuaries, and works by Dale Chihuly and other modern masters.

— Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of glowing

Adjective

There was Nolan Ross Palmer, who swallowed flaming hot dogs whole during season 21, and the Human Fountains, who spit water into one another’s mouths in season 13.

— Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
In Marvel Comics lore, Blaze is a motorcycle stuntman whose soul becomes bound to the Spirit of Vengeance, granting him supernatural abilities — and a flaming skull-head.

— Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of flaming

Verb

The ensemble fills the Ahmanson with blazing, amplified sound.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
While GPUs can crunch numbers at blazing speeds, they are bottlenecked by the comparatively slow copper that carries the output of that math from GPU to GPU.

— Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of blazing

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combustible

combusting

combustive

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Style

“Combusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combusting. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of combusting

adjective

verb

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