1
as in to glow
to be on fire especially brightly
all evening long we just sat there, contentedly watching the Yule log burn
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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
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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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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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as in brook
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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of burn
Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
William Lucas, 8, survived after Tonya Lucas’ boyfriend at the time rescued him from the burning home.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023
J. David McSwane, ProPublica, 7 Dec. 2024
The region isn’t yet facing wildfires on the scale of those on the West Coast, where burns can engulf entire towns.
—Sophie Ungerleider, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for burn 
Verb
Such interactions can light a fuse that may burn throughout a school year, only to erupt when students arrive for a new semester driving their parents’ car.
—Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
William Lucas, 8, survived after Tonya Lucas’ boyfriend at the time rescued him from the burning home.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023
Noun
He was intubated and flown to a specialized burn unit at the University of Utah’s Huntsman hospital.
—J. David McSwane, ProPublica, 7 Dec. 2024
The region isn’t yet facing wildfires on the scale of those on the West Coast, where burns can engulf entire towns.
—Sophie Ungerleider, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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However, for Chiquis, the sheen of these triumphs glows within a transformative darkness.Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
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Buildings are draped with Olympic athletic figures, and the Olympic rings glow on the mountainside above the city, Feb. 16, 2002.Chris DiLella, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The fire burned right up to the property line and scorched wooden fence posts and vegetation but firefighters were able to keep the fire from touching the property.Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
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The lingering autumn-like warmth not only offers pleasant days for outdoor activities but could also provide some financial relief for local households after the electric bill price hikes that usually happen during the scorching summer months in the city.Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Combining over 15 advanced cooking functions—from slow cooking, steaming, and chopping to kneading, frying, and sous-vide cooking—this device simplifies meal preparation without compromising quality.New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Dec. 2024
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This one is small enough to pack in a suitcase, and for steaming a few of his cotton shirts at a time.Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The cathedral also has new furniture, including a new altar to replace one crushed when the flaming spire collapsed.John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
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Located around a four-hour drive north of Ashgabat via a rough desert highway, this giant flaming hole in the ground was created during the Soviet era by a natural gas rig collapsing into an underground gas pocket.Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
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File-sharing phishing attacks, are an email threat in which a cybercriminal legitimate file-hosting or e-signature solutions to deceive the victim.Davey Winder, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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Listen to this article The U.S. Federal Trade Commission began sending payments to players of Fortnite who were deceived into making unwanted in-game purchases.David Matthews, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Surprising Fact On a body weight basis, children 2 to 5 years old consume about twice as much of the red dye through food as the general population, according to the FDA.Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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How to Manage: To manage a lack of sleep from alcohol, either eliminate it from your diet or consume moderately during the day, making sure to stop imbibing well before your bedtime.Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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To fill the lakes, stocks of rainbow trout, golden trout, brown, brook and cutthroat trout, along with Atlantic salmon and grayling were brought in.Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2024
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The property is nestled between a brook and a horse pasture.Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
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Sherwood’s revenge game A right-handed forward with blazing speed and a rocket of a shot scoring multiple goals in an Avs/Canucks matchup?Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 17 Dec. 2024
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Meanwhile, there are two meteor showers to close out the year; the Geminids will be seen blazing in the night sky until the shower’s finality on December 21, while the Ursids will peak December 21-22, according to the American Meteor Society.Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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