ignite

1 of 2

verb

ig·​nite ig-ˈnīt How to pronounce ignite (audio)
ignited; igniting
Synonyms of ignitenext

transitive verb

1
a
: to set afire
also : kindle
b
: to cause (a fuel) to burn
2
: to subject to fire or intense heat
especially : to render luminous by heat
3
a
: to heat up : excite
oppression that ignited the hatred of the people
b
: to set in motion : spark
ignite a debate

intransitive verb

1
: to catch fire
2
: to begin to glow
ignitability
ig-ˌnī-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce ignite (audio)
noun
ignitable adjective
or less commonly ignitible
ig-ˈnī-tə-bəl How to pronounce ignite (audio)
igniter noun
or less commonly ignitor
ig-ˈnī-tər How to pronounce ignite (audio)

ignitable

2 of 2

adjective

ig·​nit·​able
variants or less commonly ignitible
(ˈ)ig¦nītəbəl How to pronounce ignitable (audio)
: capable of being ignited

Synonyms of ignite

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of ignite in a Sentence

Verb The fire was ignited by sparks. The paper ignited on contact with sparks. a material that ignites easily Three wins in a row ignited the team. His proposal is igniting opposition.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
This launch, followed by E*Trade's even lower 50 bps fee, has ignited a price war, significantly undercutting native crypto exchanges like Coinbase. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 Lightning strikes could ignite wildfires that spread rapidly as a result of high winds, the service said. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The potential lightning strikes would also pose an immediate risk of igniting new wildfires across dry inland terrain and vegetation. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 The attack ignited a massive blaze at gasoline-storage tank that burned through the night into Tuesday morning, according to the Civil Defense, a first responders’ agency. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ignite

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin ignitus, past participle of ignire to ignite, from ignis

First Known Use

Verb

1666, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of ignite was in 1666

Phrases Containing ignite

Rhymes for ignite

See All Rhymes for ignite

Browse Nearby Words

ignitable
ignite
igniter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignite. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ignite

verb
ig·​nite ig-ˈnīt How to pronounce ignite (audio)
ignited; igniting
1
a
: to set on fire : light
b
: to cause (a fuel mixture) to burn
2
: to catch fire
3
: to set in motion : spark
ignite a debate
ignitable
-ˈnīt-ə-bəl
adjective
igniter noun
also ignitor
-ˈnīt-ər How to pronounce ignite (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on ignite

Nglish: Translation of ignite for Spanish Speakers

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