as in fuel
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as in burning
to set (something) on fire
worried that lightning will kindle the forest in the drought-stricken nature preserve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kindling
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
The lid also helps to prevent spills or curious pets from snacking on the extra kindling.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kindling
Noun
Yet skepticism about the lofty valuations and massive spending plans of major AI players had been building like a pile of dry kindling.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
The lid also helps to prevent spills or curious pets from snacking on the extra kindling.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
The drought and near-record temperatures dried out the lush scrub, turning it to kindling.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kindling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kindling
Noun
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At some point, those fuel sources will be exhausted, no further energy will be naturally extracted from what remains within them, and those once-brilliant objects will fade away into darkness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Iran seizes 2 ships on smuggling claims DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf on Thursday, state television reported, claiming the vessels had been smuggling fuel.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Charred, thin bubbling crusts come straight from the room’s wood burning oven, and the Funghi, with wild mushrooms, scamorza taleggio, Parmigiano Reggiano and aromatic herbs is a standout.—
Andrea Bennett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
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The company says fans will be invited to send in their burning questions for the presenters to tackle each week.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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During the test, teams discovered a hydrogen leak within the rocket's 212-foot core stage while fueling the vehicle with 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant, NASA said in a blog post.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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During the ramp up to the rocket's maiden flight in 2022, engineers ran into multiple propellant leaks and other problems that ended up delaying an unpiloted test flight by more than six months.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Brave Pullman porters carried the Chicago Defender with coverage of the funeral on trains headed south from Chicago, sparking outrage and igniting a movement.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
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Lawmakers are considering a statewide bell-to-bell ban on cellphones in the classroom, igniting a debate once again on the issue.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Until crude vulgarians like Miller came along, no prominent American political figure would claim on our behalf a right to use our power for purely selfish ends, at the expense of other democratic states and foreign peoples.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Calling out corporate entities and concentration of power as enemies also appears to be a winning strategy for Democrats in their messaging tactics.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Stick a match striker sticker or a small piece of sandpaper on the bottom of the jar to make lighting the match easier.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Mike Buckley designed the ’60s wallpaper-like scenery, with period costumes by Patricia Lutz, lighting by Sammy Webster and Joshua Heming and sound by Jordan Gray.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Whereas traditional nuclear fission energy creates power by splitting atoms, fusion uses heat to create energy by melding them together.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
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That pattern is associated with better satiety, energy stability, and muscle maintenance, as long as sodium is kept in check when selecting meals.—
Rita Templeton,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The hard X-ray peak came first, intense and quickly, followed by a longer, scorching soft X-ray and optical glow.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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The Best Ways To Reheat Cooked Bacon Cooked bacon reheats quickly, so always keep an eye on it to prevent scorching.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kindling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kindling. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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