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
The company fueled the hulking New Glenn rocket Thursday night, hoping to briefly ignite the engines ahead of a satellite launch next week.
—
Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Video of the incident shows the engines apparently igniting, followed by flames shooting up the rocket’s exterior.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
Bodnar, according to state police, then allegedly ignited the base of the foil with a lighter and inhaled the smoke through a straw.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026
Gas can be ignited suddenly and without warning.
—Jamie Stengle, Arkansas Online, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignite
Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Video of the incident shows the engines apparently igniting, followed by flames shooting up the rocket’s exterior.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
Bodnar, according to state police, then allegedly ignited the base of the foil with a lighter and inhaled the smoke through a straw.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026
Gas can be ignited suddenly and without warning.
—Jamie Stengle, Arkansas Online, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignite
Verb
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In the capital, the attacks damaged several residential and commercial buildings, sparking fires and burning cars, authorities said.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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Family Akelarre is an adults-forward hotel, designed more for couples and contemplative travelers than for toddlers with energy to burn.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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As a scorching wind tears across the barren, rocky slopes of Komote Island off the shore of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya, Alfred Lenkutuk sits in the meager shelter of his hut, gazing out over the village where he was born and remembering better times.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
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Nicole Maccalla, a member of Eaton Fire Residents United, spent five months fighting with her insurer after the Eaton fire scorched the roof of her home.—
Jason Henry,
Daily News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Local touches were everywhere, from an extensive collection of books ranging from South African chick-lit to memoirs of Nelson Mandela, Trevor Noah, and Siya Kolisi to a mini-bar stocked with gin, rum, and brandy made with Cape Fynbos plants.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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The problem is that most homes are lit the same way from breakfast to bedtime, and that flat unchanging signal works against you at the wrong hours.—
Allison Palmer
June 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Verb
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During the hearing, attorney Jeanelle Gomez argued that mentioning the girls’ injuries would inflame the jury.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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Believing that the deaths of protesters at the hands of police would only inflame tensions, Paz has insisted on dialogue as the best way out of the crisis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The violent arrest immediately sparked community protests, and Hyder was fired the next day.—
Jericka Duncan,
CBS News,
2 June 2026
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Terr hopes that the settlements reached thus far will deter officials from firing or punishing employees for their speech moving forward, despite political pressure or online outrage.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignite. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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