as in burning
to set (something) on fire
worried that lightning will kindle the forest in the drought-stricken nature preserve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fuel
Related Words
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 kindling
Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 18 June 2025
Kenny stated that a similar but different brand of fire-starter kindling as was used in the Bushwick arson was used in Wednesday’s incident.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kindling
Verb
The next few weeks in particular are expected to bring hot, dry weather, which could turn all that veg to kindling.
—Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 18 June 2025
Kenny stated that a similar but different brand of fire-starter kindling as was used in the Bushwick arson was used in Wednesday’s incident.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
Noun
Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kindling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindling
Verb
-
These bones are covered by thinner layers of muscle and fat and would have been more prone to burning if a body were placed over a fire.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Farad Fire has been burning on private land.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
However, biofuel production might turn this pathway into a tool for renewable energy, since fats can be converted into fuel.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
These black holes are born when massive stars reach the end of their nuclear fuel and can no longer support themselves against their own inward gravitational pull.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Freeland took exception to Rafael Devers’ admiration of his first-inning home run, igniting the benches-clearing episode.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Hamas killed about 1,200 people in its attack on southern Israel and captured another 251 as hostages, igniting the ongoing Gaza war.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the weather cools, one of the easiest ways to create a cozy atmosphere at home is by lighting a fall-scented candle.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Another challenge was lighting, to shoot everything in a visually coherent and realistic manner amid all the smoke.—
Tomris Laffly,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The payloads flying on the Progress mission include food, experiments, clothing, water, air, and propellant to be pumped into the space station's onboard tanks.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Essentially, a nuclear rocket engine is a reactor that has hydrogen running through it as a propellant, which is heated to an astonishing 3,000 K (2,727 °C, 4,940 °F), giving it almost twice the efficiency in terms of thrust and specific impulse as a chemical rocket.—
David Szondy
September 10,
New Atlas,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The resulting scorching ash cloud reached as high as 16 miles into the atmosphere, darkening the sky and causing homes and businesses as far as 300 miles away to close.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
-
A’ja Wilson, incumbent MVP and leader of scorching Las Vegas, seeks the award for the fourth time in her career.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
One of the bottlenecks in frequency comb technology has been the high energy required for spectral broadening.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Starting from the questionable proposition that revolutionary movements require energy and that energy in its most basic form is derived from solar rays, Chizhevsky listed some historical developments that lined up with astronomical developments.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As demand for electricity surged to power more electric devices in homes and Big Tech's boom in data centers, renewable energy has been the go-to source for the cheapest, fastest way to generate more juice.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, global demand for data center capacity could more than triple by 2030, requiring upgrades in power, cooling, and connectivity.—
Maurice Obeid,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kindling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindling. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share