enkindling

verb

present participle of enkindle
as in burning
to set (something) on fire see if you can enkindle some paper in the fireplace while I look for logs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enkindling
  1. burning
  2. igniting
  3. kindling
  4. scorching
  5. lighting
Verb
  • The wildfires in Canada’s boreal forests are burning with greater size and intensity because of climate change, as greenhouse gas emissions from human use of fossil fuels continue to drive global warming.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
  • Companies burning solid waste, including garment and fabric scraps, can be fined $250.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 17 July 2026
Definition of burning
Verb
  • Wildfires have been igniting across Canada and northern Minnesota this month.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026
  • In a rare and unusual move, launch was called off right as Super Heavy began igniting its 33 engines.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of igniting
Verb
  • Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • Photography arrived, kindling an enthusiasm that Baudelaire, ever the cynic, compared to a lust for pornography.
    — Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of kindling
Verb
  • Often if calcium levels in the soil are too low, plants would also be exhibiting signs of deficiency including stunted growth, curling of leaves and perhaps spotting or scorching on leaves.
    — Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
  • But beyond the numbers — buoyed by a scorching 7 of 9 showing in two games at the California Classic — his form looks sound.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 July 2026
Definition of scorching
Verb
  • After lighting the fire, Arrabaca also pulled out an airsoft rifle — a device commonly used in sports and recreation resembling a gun, but fires less lethal projectiles rather than bullets — and fired five to seven pellets, officials said.
    — Brynn Gingras, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Howell considers lighting one of the most important and underutilized layers.
    — Oset Babür-Winter, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026
Definition of lighting
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.

Browse Nearby Words

enkindles
enkindling
enlace
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enkindling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enkindling. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All