fanning

verb

present participle of fan
1
as in igniting

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in oscillating

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fanning
  1. igniting
  2. oscillating
  3. inflaming
  4. swaying
  5. triggering
  6. waving
  7. kindling
  8. flicking
Verb
  • Prosecutors this week unveiled a new indictment against the man accused of igniting last year’s deadly fire in the Palisades, nixing one of the three original charges and revising the other two after a mistrial in federal court this summer.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The potential lightning strikes would also pose an immediate risk of igniting new wildfires across dry inland terrain and vegetation.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of igniting
Verb
  • According to Léna, the experiments included studying the dust in the corona (which was emitting infrared radiation), studying the oscillating hot gas in the corona, and studying the chromosphere.
    — Dhananjay Khadilkar, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The more constructive comparison is early 2023, when ADBE spent several weeks oscillating around the line before reclaiming it and beginning a strong advance.
    — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of oscillating
Verb
  • China is increasingly worried about North Korea’s role in creating and intensifying these risks—and about the need to adjust its North Korea strategy to manage them without inflaming tensions and further destabilizing the region.
    — ZHENG JIYONG, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Chad Gable spent much of last year recovering from surgery after inflaming lucha libre fans with his El Grande Americano gimmick.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of inflaming
Verb
  • Styled after a tropical paradise with swaying palm trees, Lost Island Waterpark offers endless aquatic fun during its summertime opening season, with slides, rides, and attractions.
    — Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2026
  • After a few hours under the hot sun, there was no better cool down than swaying to Babyface classics.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 22, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of swaying
Verb
  • Prosecutors argued that the building caught on fire, triggering a massive explosion and propelling canisters in the air, one of which fatally struck Salter in the head.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget marked the occasion by noting that the retirement program’s trust fund is projected to be depleted in six years, triggering an automatic benefit reduction of about 22% under current law.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of triggering
Verb
  • Just days before the fireworks and the flag waving of July 4, Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) quietly asked Maryland regulators for permission to take more money out of its customers’ pockets.
    — Tyrone E. Keys Jr, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Syrians gathered around the court in Damascus, chanting, clapping and waving the Syrian flag as news of the sentences spread.
    — Kinda Makieh, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of waving
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
  • Within a few minutes, Hutchinson has his mobile out, happily flicking through the screensavers.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • His violent men — Scott’s sinister dad and Melton’s sad one — light cigarettes by flicking matches on their ears and teeth.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of flicking
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

fannies
fanning
fanning (out)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fanning. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on fanning

Nglish: Translation of fanning for Spanish Speakers

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 divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All