torch 1 of 2

Definition of torchnext
as in igniter
a person who deliberately and unlawfully sets fire to a building or other property several suspicious fires in the past few months have probably been set by the same torch

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torch

2 of 2

verb

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 torch
Noun
The arch would stand 250 feet tall (76 meters) from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure atop the structure. ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026 And for reminding us that our torch still burns. Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
Because on an even playing field, the Knicks’ star scorer will torch like-sized defenders. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026 Undrafted out of high school, Torkelson matriculated to Arizona State and started torching college pitching, eventually crushing Barry Bonds’ school record for home runs by a freshman. Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for torch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torch
Noun
  • An electric igniter is hidden on the top of the phone behind a small trap door.
    Angela Moscaritolo, PC Magazine, 7 Mar. 2026
  • After eight days of examining the scene, analysts found that the light source matched the sparks from a flint ignitor and the flame from a butane lighter.
    Harrington Gardiner, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • My father taught me to burn disks, to back up files, and to discharge static electricity before handling a computer’s delicate innards.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Households can’t afford to lose a chunk of their payments to taxes, said Jensen, whose home also burned.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • An arsonist set a restaurant on fire, injuring two people trapped by the flames, before setting blazes outside a nearby synagogue and funeral home, police said Tuesday.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Also, sorry, bold move for a guy who’s been giving his wife the runaround with an infamous arsonist!
    Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • According to Podgorski, Wenger allegedly constructed a Molotov cocktail inside the residence, lit it and threw it at officers.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Enter Artturi Lehkonen, who swooped into the crease to clean up with Doughty still riding his back, remaining upright and curling the rebound around Forsberg’s right leg to finally light the tamp.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • An arson fire destroys the 43-year-old Globe Theatre on March 8 (the arsonist was never caught, but a firebug had set several blazes in the park that winter).
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
  • In video released by police, the firebug could be seen setting fire to a small pile of trash next to the head of a sleeping passenger stretched out on the seat.
    Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Three Georgia State Patrol troopers and their supervisor were fired from the department after an investigation revealed a scheme where officers used insurance claims to profit off of vehicle chases, an internal report concluded.
    Asia Simone Burns, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Quinlan represents former district CEO Pedro Martinez, who was fired without cause in December 2024, in an ongoing lawsuit against several current and former board members.
    Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • It was blamed for igniting the Coal Seam Fire which burned more than 10,000 acres and destroyed 28 homes in 2002.
    Logan Smith, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
  • French counterterrorism prosecutors also said the plot to ignite an explosive device outside the Paris headquarters of Bank of America appears to be linked to HAYI, but a firm link has not yet been established.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • America's hopes for its first high-speed rail were kindled in 2008, when California voters approved a ballot measure for a train connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco in less than three hours.
    Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • This spectacular success kindled a desire in Hersheypark officials to invest heavily in thrill rides.
    John Haddad, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Torch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torch. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

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