torch 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
This suddenly feels like more than a passing of the torch at Torrey Pines. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2025 Officers recovered a propane tank with a blowtorch in a Jeep parked behind the house and three torch heads in the suspect's bedroom, according to the probable cause statement. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Her body was found riddled with bullet holes inside her torched Dodge Durango in Osceola County. Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025 After torching Awad’s jeep, the settlers shifted their attention to the barn adjacent to his house, which contained 10 tons of animal feed, and set it on fire as well. Basel Adra, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for torch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torch
Verb
  • The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.
    Carole Horst, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
  • The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.
    Neeti Mehra, Treehugger, 13 Sep. 2023
Verb
  • By that logic, try lighting a candle after spritzing the mist to layer home scents.
    Jenny Berg, Allure, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Heater Won't Ignite A gas heating system will typically have an electronic ignition that lights the pilot light, which in turn lights the main flame to generate heat.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • The menacing firebug lit several blazes in South Ozone Park on July 4, including a house fire that left two residents hospitalized for more than a month.
    Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • In an unconfirmed video posted to X, a plane can be seen coming for a landing at a snowy airport before impacting, igniting and rolling onto its starboard side.
    Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025
  • The highly successful show has not only ignited the careers of newcomers but also inspired a revival for veteran actors.
    Catherine Santino, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The administration has not provided a comprehensive list of who is subject to the firings, how many are being fired, and which positions specifically are exempt.
    Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
  • As the accusations begin to fly, Fola — who is Chinese American and identifies as nonbinary — calls Healy out for displaying tokenism, while Healy fires back that Fola is being unnecessarily combative.
    Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The unequal toll of COVID-19 kindled a national conversation about health disparities.
    Pria Anand, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025
  • The subsequent 444-day hostage crisis at the embassy in Tehran kindled decades of enmity.
    Nasser Karimi, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • According to the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies, the blast triggered a blaze that scorched the refinery’s primary oil procession unit.
    David Axe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The incident also scorched a neighboring structure.
    George Avalos, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Torch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torch. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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