as in to burn
to set (something) on fire
tried using newspapers as kindling to ignite the logs in the fireplace
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Recent Examples of ignite
That created an electrical arc that ignited combustible material on the ground.
—
Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
The defining moment of San Francisco getting mixed up with Cincinnati was when left-hander Erik Miller struck out rookie Sal Stewart to end last Thursday’s game, then subsequently ignited a benches-clearing brouhaha.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
An individual poured liquid onto the ground and ignited a ring of flames between Assaidi's car and the crowd.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
That report was meant to ignite transformation.
—Joe Kiani, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignite
Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
The defining moment of San Francisco getting mixed up with Cincinnati was when left-hander Erik Miller struck out rookie Sal Stewart to end last Thursday’s game, then subsequently ignited a benches-clearing brouhaha.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
An individual poured liquid onto the ground and ignited a ring of flames between Assaidi's car and the crowd.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
That report was meant to ignite transformation.
—Joe Kiani, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignite
Verb
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Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency rescinded several longstanding environmental regulations, including gutting the 2009 endangerment finding and rolling back air quality standards for coal-burning power plants, which advocates say will cause irreparable harm.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
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The cladding on the house is called Shou Sugi Ban, which is a Japanese process of preserving wood by pre-burning it and then staining it to [create a durable, fire-retardant material].—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Yet even a disappointing ruling at the high court doesn’t mean the MAHA movement is defeated or should completely go scorched earth on the administration.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2026
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The Blazers could not hold on after building a 65-59 halftime lead, an edge built by shooting a scorching 10-of-21 from 3-point range.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For some, a Day 3 NFL draft selection lights a competitive fuse, so to speak.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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Until Artie Moreno fixes the holes in the ceiling and the holes in the lineup, the only thing consistently lit in Anaheim might be a Closed for Infestation sign.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Unfortunately, Lace delivers a kick that knocks Jinx on his back, inflaming an old injury.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
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The distortion uses religion as a tool to inflame hate and justify violence.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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O’Neal, the daughter of four-time NBA champion and Naismith Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, entered the portal April 14 after two seasons at UF; former head coach Kelly Rae Finley was fired by administration in March after five seasons at the helm.—
Caroline Makauskas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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The next night, Russia fired nineteen ballistic missiles, twenty-five cruise missiles, and six hundred and fifty-nine drones.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignite. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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