KINDLING Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

kindling 1 of 2

noun

Definition of kindling

as in fuel

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kindling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of kindle

as in burning

to set (something) on fire worried that lightning will kindle the forest in the drought-stricken nature preserve

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 kindling

Noun

That’s the flint but that’s not the kindling, however. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 Hundreds of fires have started across southern and coastal Georgia, with dozens of new fires every day, and officials say drought conditions provided the kindling. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026

Verb

Which kindling splitter is best? — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 19 May 2026 The Lakers picked up steam down the stretch in the regular season, winning 16 of 18 heading into April and kindling hope of being a dark-horse candidate to give trouble to the Thunder or Spurs in the playoffs. — ABC News, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for kindling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindling

Noun

Instead, a conflict that closes airspace or a spike in fuel costs may force his team to react.

— Chris Dong, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026
Brown and other firefighters said delayed, disorganized fire responses have become common around the West as staffing thinned since last year's cuts, and as climate change and urban sprawl fuel a changing wildfire landscape.

— Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of fuel

Verb

In a small town, several dead people are brought back to life through a strange ritual involving burning duck manure.

— Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, largely from burning fossil fuels, have pushed global temperatures so high that sea levels are rising, and shrinking glaciers and thawing permafrost are leaving mountainsides less stable.

— Tarun Gopalakrishnan, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of burning

Noun

Its two solid-propellant stages eliminated complex pre-launch fueling and established an engineering foundation later developed through the Poseidon and Trident missile families.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
And, thanks to the precision of Roman's SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle and fuel savings during Roman's early trajectory corrections, the telescope is expected to have enough propellant to operate for the next 22 years.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of propellant

Verb

Meanwhile, Silverman searched for more victims inside the helicopter, which had burst into flames, and in the surrounding parked cars, igniting because the helicopter’s jet fuel leaked.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Three people were killed and one person was hospitalized after the helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings, igniting on fire instantly, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

— Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of igniting

Noun

And Majority Leader John Thune still could hold a roll-call vote on a data center power bill that Democrats blocked on Thursday.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Stone and Robert Icke, for example, have both built careers on transplanting old stories into slick contemporary containers, and, in varying degrees, those containers can come packed with power.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of power

Verb

Members of the Aurora Emergency Management Agency assisted with traffic control and scene lighting throughout the investigation.

— Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
In recent court hearings, Abdulkarim’s reason for allegedly lighting the goods on fire has played a central role.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of lighting

Noun

Kanin says as much as 58% of energy consumed by industrial processes can be lost as waste heat.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
Speakers noted the Republican nominee's oil and gas investments as the energy sector amasses profits while the Iran war drives up fuel costs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of energy

Verb

The Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County has been fully extinguished after burning for 23 days and scorching roughly 90,000 acres across North Texas.

— Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
These hardy plants withstand extreme weather, from scorching heat to harsh winters.

— Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of scorching

Browse Nearby Words

kindliness

kindling

kindlings

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Style

“Kindling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindling. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of kindling

noun

verb

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