1
as in to glow
to be on fire especially brightly
all evening long we just sat there, contentedly watching the Yule log burn
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to scorch
to set (something) on fire
it is not a good idea to try to burn old papers in the sink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
he came home burning with anger because of a reprimand at work
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4
as in to flame
to shine with a bright harsh light
the bright streetlight outside our motel room burned all night long
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5
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
he's been burned before, so he's careful to double-check such claims now
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to consume
to make complete use of
heedlessly burning the country's resources without any concern for future generations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in creek
a natural body of running water smaller than a river
the walkers forded the shallow burn and then came upon a field of gorse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burn
Adam Schreck, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
As the crash subsided, police said the Mercedes caught fire and responding police officers pulled the driver and underage passenger from the burning wreck.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Seven officers were treated for injuries, including minor burns and lacerations, at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, according to police.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for burn
Verb
It was not immediately known if the vessel was one of the burning ships reported by the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.
—Adam Schreck, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
As the crash subsided, police said the Mercedes caught fire and responding police officers pulled the driver and underage passenger from the burning wreck.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
Noun
The kids at Crocker Riverside Elementary School will not have to risk burns or staph infections when playing on the lawn, thanks to parent pushback against the installation of artificial turf.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Seven officers were treated for injuries, including minor burns and lacerations, at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, according to police.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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However, in the wild, the algae are the ocean’s introverts, and only glow when they are bothered, like jolted by a crashing wave or the hull of a passing boat.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
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There’s an amulet (one of those glowing doohickeys the fate of the cosmos hangs on), and your heart may sink every time someone starts chattering about it.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Yet even a disappointing ruling at the high court doesn’t mean the MAHA movement is defeated or should completely go scorched earth on the administration.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2026
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The Blazers could not hold on after building a 65-59 halftime lead, an edge built by shooting a scorching 10-of-21 from 3-point range.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Regardless, steaming your clothes shouldn’t leave them damp.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
4 May 2026
-
Ideal for reheating leftovers and frozen food, steaming food in the microwave, and at-a-glance food storage for easy grab and go.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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This campy, reality-shifting comedy series questions what would happen if a flaming misogynist woke up in a world that was completely matriarchal and subjugated men based on their gender.—
Madeleine Janz,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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The juvenile managed to drive the flaming car back onto the freeway, driving again the wrong direction before the car gave out near the Auburn Boulevard on-ramp.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit alleged that Capital One deceived customers about interest rates related to some of its savings account options, according to court filings on the settlement website.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
-
Her The Wife nods and supports, all knowingly without deceiving the emotional truths of the narrative.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Verb
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According to the World Instant Noodles Association, Americans consumed over 5 billion servings of instant noodles in 2024.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 May 2026
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The closest institutional precedent is the International Energy Agency itself, founded in 1974 explicitly as a consuming-nations counterweight to OPEC.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Zipping through old-growth spruce forests and even across frozen creeks on snowmobiles.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
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The roughly $16 million effort aims to reduce incidents where heavy rain causes raw sewage — including fecal matter — to overflow into local creeks and streams.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But something else was happening, too — skepticism blazed across even mainstream spaces.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
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The same goes for Godfrey, who has been a spark behind the Wave’s blazing start.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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