blaze

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈblāz 

1

a

: an intensely burning fire

b

: intense direct light often accompanied by heat

the blaze of TV lights

c

: an active burning

especially : a sudden bursting forth of flame

2

: something that resembles the blaze of a fire: such as

a

: a dazzling display

a blaze of color

b

: a sudden outburst

a blaze of fury

went down in a blaze of glory

c

blazes plural : hell

go to blazes

as hot as blazes

blaze

2 of 5

verb (1)

blazed; blazing

intransitive verb

1

a

: to burn brightly

the sun blazed overhead

b

: to flare up : flame

inflation blazed up

2

: to be conspicuously brilliant or resplendent

fields blazing with flowers

3

: to shoot rapidly and repeatedly

—usually used with away

4

: to proceed extremely rapidly : blast

blazing down the highway

blaze

3 of 5

verb (2)

blazed; blazing

transitive verb

: to make public or conspicuous

blaze

4 of 5

noun (2)

1

a

: a usually white stripe down the center of the face of an animal

b

: a white or gray streak in the hair of the head

2

: a trail marker

especially : a mark made on a tree by chipping off a piece of the bark

blaze

5 of 5

verb (3)

blazed; blazing

transitive verb

1

: to mark (a trail) with blazes (see blaze entry 4 sense 2)

2

: to lead in some direction or activity

blaze new trails in education

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• agony
• burst
• ebullition
• eruption
• explosion
• fit
• flare
• flare-up
• flash
• flush
• gale
• gush
• gust
• outburst
• paroxysm
• spasm
• storm

Verb (1)

• burn
• combust
• flame
• glow

Verb (2)

• advertise
• announce
• annunciate
• blare
• blazon
• broadcast
• declare
• enunciate
• flash
• give out
• herald
• placard
• post
• proclaim
• promulgate
• publicize
• publish
• release
• sound
• trumpet

Examples of blaze in a Sentence

Noun (1)

she felt a blaze of resentment upon hearing that she had been passed over for promotion

temporarily blinded by the blaze of dozens of camera lights

Verb (1)

the house blazed for over three hours in the late-night fire

the spotlight blazed through my window

an extreme skier went blazing down the ski slope at a reckless pace

Verb (2)

the White House didn't waste a minute in blazing the lower unemployment figures

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Firefighters arrived to find a fire blazing on the second floor of the two-story structure, sending a red glow and smoke into the night sky. —Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Oct. 2024

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Cordae’s blazing new track to Elijah Blake and Sevyn Streeter’s smoldering duet. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2024

Noun

Looking at the volume of fire retardants dropped on blazes across the U.S. from 2009 to 2021, the researchers determined that the amounts of metals varied from year to year but generally rose over time. —Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024

All fire personnel in the county responded to the blaze and prevented it from spreading into neighboring Payne County. —Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English blase, from Old English blæse torch; probably akin to Old English bǣl fire — more at bald

Verb (2)

Middle English blasen, from Middle Dutch blāsen to blow; akin to Old High German blāst blast

Noun (2)

perhaps from Dutch or Low German bles; akin to Old Norse blesi white stripe on an animal and probably to Old English blæse torch

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1541, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (3)

1750, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing blaze

• blaze a trail
• blaze orange

Kids Definition

blaze

1 of 5 noun

ˈblāz 

1

: a very strongly burning fire

2

: very bright direct light often accompanied by heat

the blaze of TV lights

3

: a sudden outburst

a blaze of flame

a blaze of fury

4

: a dazzling display

a blaze of autumn leaves

blaze

2 of 5 verb

blazed; blazing

1

a

: to burn brightly

b

: to flare up : flame

2

: to be noticeably brilliant

fields blazing with flowers

3

: to shoot rapidly and repeatedly

blaze

3 of 5 verb

blazed; blazing

: to make public : proclaim

blaze the news

blaze

4 of 5 noun

1

: a long white mark down the center of the face of an animal

2

: a mark made on a tree usually to leave a trail

blaze

5 of 5 verb

blazed; blazing

: to mark with blazes

blaze a trail

Etymology

Noun

Old English blæse "torch"

Verb

Middle English blasen "to make public," from early Dutch blāsen "to blow"

Noun

perhaps from Dutch or Low German bles "a white mark on an animal"

Medical Definition

blaze

noun

ˈblāz 

: a white or gray streak in the hair of the head