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
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 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
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2025
His rank-and-file members on Monday were feeling the burn of a Trump stunt that has cost the economy trillions in less than a week.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 7 Apr. 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
Beware of Burn If your lawn has brown stripes or patches shortly after fertilizing, the cause might be fertilizer burn.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2025
His rank-and-file members on Monday were feeling the burn of a Trump stunt that has cost the economy trillions in less than a week.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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Over 12,000 glowing Amazon ratings back up the hype.—
Becca Blond,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Apr. 2025
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The episode follows Maria (Siena Kelly), a food researcher whose latest project receives a glowing review from a focus group subject named Verity (Rosy McEwen), one of Maria's ex-classmates who was relentlessly bullied in school.—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Herro’s scorching shooting continued in the second quarter, finishing the first half with 23 points on perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field, 3-of-3 shooting on threes and 4-of-4 shooting from the foul line.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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But the people who live on its streets, like K, must contend with cold winters and scorching summers.—
Aaron Bolton,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Dumplings and Kebabs: Chicken Momo: steamed chicken dumplings with spicy chili sauce topped with onions and peppers.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2025
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Choose options that are baked, grilled, steamed, or roasted.—
Lindsey DeSoto, RD, LD,
Verywell Health,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Comments Danny McBride, do not step on that flaming bag on your doorstep.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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Afterward, the Chicago artist flamed Pusha T, Ty Dolla $ign, Travis Scott, and even the late Virgil Abloh — including pictures to accompany the rant.—
Marc Griffin,
VIBE.com,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But as, as the brilliant evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller notes, our capacities to judge competence have evolved, so too have our capacities to deceive others about it.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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And Ken claims to be a man of faith but uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Early in his career, Ben Lively’s emotions consumed him.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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In the hospitality sector, large hotels consume significantly more energy due to extensive facilities like multiple restaurants, conference centers, and recreational areas, which drive higher energy usage and waste production.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The 1851-52 painting by John Everett Millais is one of the most popular renderings of Ophelia's death, which depicts her lying, almost peacefully, among flowers in a brook.—
Audrey Gibbs,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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The mass-participation ball game involves two teams, whose players are decided according to which side of the town's small brook they were born on.—
Alan Taylor,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Buxton was blazing down the line, nearly at the bag by the time Brown picked up the ball.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2025
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South Korea’s largest wildfires on record blazed through the country’s southeast for a seventh day, with firefighters, soldiers and heritage workers racing to evacuate people and save ancient treasures from the encroaching flames.—
Jin Yu Young,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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