as in burns
to set (something) on fire
tried using newspapers as kindling to ignite the logs in the fireplace
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Recent Examples of ignites
The story centers on a blackmail war that ignites at an elite country club after two young employees witness an alarming fight between their boss and his wife.
—
Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
After the engines start up and the booster ignites, umbilical separation, or the disconnecting of power cables and fuel lines, will take place — the last step before the rocket launches.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
At that point, things will move quickly as the rocket’s various systems switch to internal battery power, the main engines power up and, at the T-minus 0 mark, the booster finally ignites for liftoff.
—Charlie Gile, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
If the idea of moving ignites something within you, trust that instinct.
—Bill Gurley, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
One small spark of kindness ignites a spreading wildfire of kindness.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
This sort of ignites this need to fill this gap.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
The conjunction between Mercury and fiery Mars in your 5th House of Originality ignites your ability to express yourself with flair that showcases your talent and resilience.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
When the small town of Marion, Kansas, is thrust into the international spotlight after a police raid on the Marion County Record and the death of its 98-year-old co-owner, a fierce debate ignites about the abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local journalism, and the United States Constitution.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
After the engines start up and the booster ignites, umbilical separation, or the disconnecting of power cables and fuel lines, will take place — the last step before the rocket launches.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
At that point, things will move quickly as the rocket’s various systems switch to internal battery power, the main engines power up and, at the T-minus 0 mark, the booster finally ignites for liftoff.
—Charlie Gile, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
If the idea of moving ignites something within you, trust that instinct.
—Bill Gurley, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
One small spark of kindness ignites a spreading wildfire of kindness.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
This sort of ignites this need to fill this gap.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
The conjunction between Mercury and fiery Mars in your 5th House of Originality ignites your ability to express yourself with flair that showcases your talent and resilience.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
When the small town of Marion, Kansas, is thrust into the international spotlight after a police raid on the Marion County Record and the death of its 98-year-old co-owner, a fierce debate ignites about the abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local journalism, and the United States Constitution.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignites
Verb
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For instance, walking at a brisk pace generally increases total energy expenditure and burns more calories per minute.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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Chewing on the bulbs can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, profuse drooling and burns to the mouth.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tucson will also be at or near record temperatures through March 27 as the state’s unprecedented heat wave scorches on, the weather service said.—
Ray Stern,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
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As the world around them scorches under record heat, a family walks into the woods, asking what the future holds in this thermal dystopia.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The episode inflames the diplomatic spat between the two countries that began over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about Taiwan.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Sensational or biased language inflames opinion before readers learn the facts.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While Martin Scorsese called it one of the scariest movies of all time, The Uninvited kindles a wonderful romance between Rick and Stella.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
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The star of Big Little Lies confessed her new film, Caught Stealing, kindles a powerful yearning for some aspects of the era.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These gadgets, imported from China or Russia or homemade in the US with 3D printers, transform a semiautomatic weapon—which fires a single round with each trigger pull—into a fully automatic one, able to discharge at a rate of 1,200 rounds per minute, limited only by the capacity of the magazine.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
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Orion will spend 90-minutes in its initial orbit, before the second stage fires its engines twice to send Orion to a high Earth elliptical orbit.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ignites.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignites. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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