Thesaurus results for COMBUST

combust

verb

kəm-ˈbəst

Definition of combust

as in to burn

to be on fire especially brightly anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal

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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 combust At this spot, several hundred feet above the 101 Freeway between La Conchita and Rincon Point, the area has also spontaneously combusted during ground shifts, according to previous reporting from The Times. — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2026 Many times, bodies spontaneously combust and spray blood everywhere. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026 The element of surprise has mostly worn off, even if Grace tells Faith that one never really gets used to people spontaneously combusting right in front of you. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026 During winter, wet road salt can seep into manholes, corroding electrical cables’ insulation, causing sparks and gas that can then combust under pressure. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for combust

Recent Examples of Synonyms for combust

Verb

Washoe County Sheriff's Office Now combined, the Fred Mountain Fire and the Bug Fire have burned more than 57,000 acres with no containment as of Tuesday night, according to fire officials.

— Richard Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
On the image-generation front, Google is burning tokens like never before.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of burn

Verb

Residential neighborhood burned into Tuesday night was calm, with little wind to flame the fire’s growth.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 5 Aug. 2026
The lift had to be powerful enough to blast the massive orb into the sky, and the shell had to explode at just the right moment, without raining flaming debris.

— Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of flame

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combs (out)

combust

combusted

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“Combust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combust. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of combust

verb

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