igniting

verb

present participle of ignite
as in burning
to set (something) on fire tried using newspapers as kindling to ignite the logs in the fireplace

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 igniting Rich silver veins had been discovered in 1879, igniting a 14-year mining boom. — John Meyer, Denver Post, 26 July 2026 An intervention would risk shattering Lebanon, igniting sectarian strife, and further destabilizing the entire region, potentially undermining Sharaa's government. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 An arson charge was lodged Tuesday against a former Army soldier accused of going to a federal building in Manhattan that houses immigration court proceedings and setting a sidewalk fire, igniting fireworks and firing a pellet gun. — ABC News, 21 July 2026 The study largely ignored utilities’ responsibility for igniting fires. — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 Continue reading … IN OTHER NEWS DINING HABITS — Actor declares one popular fry 'aren't fries,' igniting fierce online debate. — FOXNews.com, 20 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 Walker was also one of a number of Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their hats during San Francisco’s Pride Night in June, igniting a controversy that has engulfed the franchise for nearly a month. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 Qatar’s role as a mediator of the negotiations was complicated by Iran’s attack on one of Qatar’s LNG tankers in the strait, igniting an engine fire. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for igniting
  1. burning
  2. scorching
  3. kindling
  4. torching
  5. inflaming
Verb
  • Hundreds of kilometers away in the towns near Madrid, Spanish authorities declared that the fires burning there, fanned by strong winds and searing temperatures, were the worst-ever in the region’s history.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • Russell said that breadfruit will become more common as climate change continues to trend toward warmer conditions throughout the world as a response to burning fossil fuels.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Definition of burning
Verb
  • Whipped by strong winds amid 100-plus degree temperatures, that spark grew into California’s fourth-largest wildfire on record, ultimately scorching some 429,000 acres and destroying 427 homes.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
  • Keep the flames below the bottom edge of the pot to prevent scorching.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 25 July 2026
Definition of scorching
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
  • The Claremont Fire in the Boise Foothills had scorched 6,800 acres of terrain by Tuesday afternoon, torching sagebrush and shrubs, wildflowers and weeds, and narrowly avoiding homes.
    — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2026
  • But everyday people expressed their political outrage time and again, throwing rocks at and demolishing the houses of government officials, torching the king’s ships and forts and, eventually, marching to battle.
    — Robert Parkinson, The Conversation, 24 June 2026
Definition of torching
Verb
  • Containing Iran’s influence without inflaming a domestic front appears to be the priority.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
  • Footage of an activist being dragged away from the development went viral, further inflaming public opposition.
    — Emmet Lyons, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Definition of inflaming

Browse Nearby Words

ignites
igniting
ignoble
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Cite this Entry

“Igniting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/igniting. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on igniting

Nglish: Translation of igniting for Spanish Speakers

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