as in burning
being on fire
kindled straw was responsible for the blaze that destroyed the barn
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in burned
to set (something) on fire
worried that lightning will kindle the forest in the drought-stricken nature preserve
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of kindled
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
If ‘Oxen’ occupies a region of Ulysses where Joyce’s exquisite ear for memorably musical sentences (‘Mild fire of wine kindled his veins’) takes a back seat to the leaden hum of meta-literature, that is no reason not to be awed by his chutzpah.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Watson had kindled a social media friendship with the NBA star and received an invite to one of his exclusive pickup runs.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026
This is only slightly challenged by a flame kindled between Mindy and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) earlier on in the show.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026
The ballroom aces met on Broadway, kindled a romance on the reality dancing competition, and married in 2017.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Dec. 2025
Still, the hearing last year that reduced his sentence kindled some optimism.
—Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 9 Oct. 2025
Anhedönia’s earliest exposure to contemporary culture came in the form of the true-crime serials her grandmother loved, which kindled her own interest in the macabre.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
Traders and investors are laser-focused on the inflation being kindled by higher oil prices.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
If ‘Oxen’ occupies a region of Ulysses where Joyce’s exquisite ear for memorably musical sentences (‘Mild fire of wine kindled his veins’) takes a back seat to the leaden hum of meta-literature, that is no reason not to be awed by his chutzpah.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Watson had kindled a social media friendship with the NBA star and received an invite to one of his exclusive pickup runs.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026
This is only slightly challenged by a flame kindled between Mindy and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) earlier on in the show.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026
The ballroom aces met on Broadway, kindled a romance on the reality dancing competition, and married in 2017.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Dec. 2025
Still, the hearing last year that reduced his sentence kindled some optimism.
—Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 9 Oct. 2025
Anhedönia’s earliest exposure to contemporary culture came in the form of the true-crime serials her grandmother loved, which kindled her own interest in the macabre.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindled
Adjective
-
Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Some of the bodies were found months after the ceasefire, some on streets or in fields, and in other instances burned or mutilated, the report said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
And many churches, schools and homeowners, burned by high utility bills or racked with climate concerns, have pursued residential solar projects.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Giants have had four since 2018, and general manager Schoen is on a blazing-hot seat.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In nuclear thermal rockets, a small nuclear reactor heats up a propellant — often liquid hydrogen — to blazing temperatures in the thousands of degrees.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Debris from the engine fell near the runway and ignited a small brush fire on the ground.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Senior officials in Kyiv are taking a swipe at the head of German defense giant Rheinmetall, whose unflattering comments about Ukrainian drone technology and the role of women in the war against Russia ignited a social media backlash.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Lili Reinhart’s coldly overbearing Apple (with lucious, flaming red hair) is their ringleader, Alexandra Shipp’s Fig is a science genius who lost her personality in a swirl of people pleasing, and Victoria Pedretti’s mentally fragile Cherry is Apple’s resident punching bag and fixer-upper project.—
Jada Yuan,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The Duck Orange was a favorite and flaming Cherries Jubilee prepared at tableside.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
During the memorial service, Sigler lit four candles at the church, one in memory of each of the students killed in the crash.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Other people lit fireworks, and some were told not to throw objects at police.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This year, the rumors swirl, a constant, low hum: Outer Heaven and Cuatro Gato, two more flickering lights, are expected to fade.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
-
But there’s more flickering contrast in Narayan van Maele’s lensing, which alternates dun realism with occasionally hyperreal lighting and composition, particularly when the pagan promise of fire is in the frame.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2022
Adjective
-
Japan’s Neapolitan-style pizza has set the food world aflame, showing how the country is whipping up pizza that’s just as good (if not better) than its Italian competitors.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
16 Mar. 2026
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Official statistics are hard to come by, but town residents — several of whom asked to be identified by only first names to protect their safety — estimated around 80 cars were set aflame in a municipality of just 20,000 people.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kindled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindled. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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