incendiaries

noun

plural of incendiary
1
as in torches
a person who deliberately and unlawfully sets fire to a building or other property firefighters caught the incendiary, who was watching the effects of his handiwork

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in rebels
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent blamed the protests on outside incendiaries who were intent on overthrowing the government

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for incendiaries
  1. torches
  2. rebels
  3. insurgents
  4. supporters
  5. firebrands
  6. proponents
  7. agitators
  8. promoters
Noun
  • Ancient viewers would have relied on beeswax and tallow candles, incense burners and torches.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Protesting steelworkers walked around the Riverside pitch in 2015, torches lit on their mobile phones.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of torches
Noun
  • Ethiopian Airlines had suspended flights to Mekelle and the Tigrayan cities of Axum and Shire after the rebels seized the airport.
    — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • While the British prevailed over the rebels, the uprising laid the foundations for African nationalism.
    — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebels
Noun
  • They’re seen as oligarchs, as the people with wealth and power, controlling our lives—not as outsider insurgents.
    — Nicholas Lemann, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • International sanctions persisted, and PF’s ZANLA and ZIPRA insurgents continued their liberation war.
    — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of insurgents
Noun
  • The measure has drawn mixed reactions, with supporters arguing that early intervention could reduce per-student costs over time and opponents saying property owners already face rising costs and the district should use existing resources.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Clark supporters argued one game was insufficient for an ejectable non-basketball act.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of supporters
Noun
  • In a moment when voters increasingly reward populist firebrands, Becerra presents as calm, workmanlike, and maybe a little boring.
    — Ben Paviour August 17, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • If the conservative base continues to demand ideological purity, pushing polarizing firebrands into a general election, the result will always be an immediate, lopsided blowout.
    — Dain Fitzgerald, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of firebrands
Noun
  • The movie’s proponents also stressed that the film industry was an economic engine for the city.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • On the other side of the campaign, John Adams was labeled by Jefferson's proponents as a monarchist with aspirations to become king of the new United States.
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of proponents
Noun
  • The incident came as agitators against immigration adopt a confrontational new tactic of trying to stop the boats landing on England’s shores, clashing with police and rescue workers in the process.
    — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Among the agitators were the workers at Sytin’s Moscow publishing house.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of agitators
Noun
  • Two vocal supporters of Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra filed a formal campaign finance complaint against his rival, Steve Hilton, on Tuesday over the Republican campaign’s use of paid online promoters.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Fears about a future AI apocalypse distract us from its present-day harms — just as its promoters hope.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of promoters
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

incautiousness
incendiaries
incendiary
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Cite this Entry

“Incendiaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incendiaries. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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