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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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 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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Example 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
Andrew Freedman, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025
Goldstein, who suffered severe second- and third-degree burns on his arms and scalp, died a year later from a drug overdose.
—Ashley Hume, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2025
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
The threat is present at each of the major fires' burn scars, including the Palisades and Eaton Fires, as well as the earlier Bridge Fire.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025
Goldstein, who suffered severe second- and third-degree burns on his arms and scalp, died a year later from a drug overdose.
—Ashley Hume, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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Look at it full and glowing through the window (on All Hallows’ Eve, no less!), and the night so beautifully full of screaming.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
People.com,
14 Feb. 2025
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Specifically, the neutrino bumped into some matter and created another type of tiny particle called a muon, which in turn set off a glowing wave of blue photons that the detector could see.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Just don’t place them in direct sunlight, which will scorch their leaves.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2025
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Trump has already nixed most of the workers at the U.S. Agency for International Development, scorched the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and is set to dismantle the Education Department—all created and funded by Congress.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The hotel has a large main pool and a steaming hot tub, lovely lawns where guests can put their feet up and enjoy a glass of wine, a gurgling fountain, and, of course, a chicken coop.—
Maya Kachroo-Levine,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2025
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Dumpling Week Friday-Feb. 15 Dozens of restaurants participate in this annual event celebrating dough stuffed with sweet and savory fillings, served steamed or fried.—
Meira Gebel,
Axios,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In a fire, a modern house is its own flaming toxic Superfund site.—
Jeff Goodell,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2025
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His eyes wander the flaming mass of hair tumbling out from under my hat.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Minor leaguers and players trying to make the club out of spring can put up gaudy (deceiving) numbers against dubious competition.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
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The viewer may feel deceived for a moment, but most people know that trash talk is par for the course among sports fandoms.—
Emily Forlini,
PCMAG,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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While the florets are most commonly consumed, the stalks are also edible and offer a mildly sweet taste.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2025
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But the arduous process, which can often feel like a full-time job, has begun to consume their lives and take a hefty mental toll.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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These graves were on the south side of the brook that divides the site, and on the north side archaeologists found three more sets of remains that had been dispersed, begging the question of why there would be two different kinds of burials from the same time periods in different areas of the site.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2025
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In a way, this means no more choosing between rain on a tin roof or bubbling brook soundscapes that aim to do the same but in a far less personalized way.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the days since billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency associates have blazed through various government agencies, journalists have encouraged federal government workers to contact them through end-to-end encrypted platforms, like the messaging app Signal.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN,
9 Feb. 2025
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The Adams administration is making swift, intentional investments, building smart to protect all New Yorkers from harsh rains, blazing sun and smog.—
Meera Joshi,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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