burn

/bərn/

/bən/

Other forms: burning; burned

When things burn, they're on fire. People who live in the country sometimes burn leaves and brush, setting big piles alight until they're reduced to ash.

A house can burn to the ground, and you can burn a stick of incense or a candle with a tiny flame. Another way things burn is from the heat of the sun, as your pale skin burns if you lie on a beach in your bathing suit with no sunblock. Yet another thing that burns is energy, whether it's a motorcycle that burns too much gasoline or a child who burns excess energy by jumping on a trampoline.

Definitions of burn
  1. verb
    destroy by fire
    “They burned the house and his diaries”
    synonyms: burn down, fire
    combust
    undergo combustion
    incinerate
    cause to undergo combustion
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    types:
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    backfire
    set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest or prairie fire
    cremate
    reduce to ashes
    torch
    burn maliciously, as by arson
    scathe, scorch
    destroy completely by or as if by fire
    type of:
    destroy, ruin
    destroy completely; damage irreparably
  2. verb
    burn with heat, fire, or radiation
    “The iron burnt a hole in my dress”
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    types:
    scald
    burn with a hot liquid or steam
    blacken, char, scorch, sear
    burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
    singe, swinge
    burn superficially or lightly
    type of:
    damage
    inflict damage upon
  3. verb
    cause to burn or combust
    “The sun burned off the fog”
    synonyms: combust
    catch fire, combust, conflagrate, erupt, ignite, take fire
    start to burn or burst into flames
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    ignite, light
    cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat
    set ablaze, set afire, set aflame, set on fire
    set fire to; cause to start burning
    char, coal
    burn to charcoal
    deflagrate
    cause to burn rapidly and with great intensity
    fire up, light, light up
    begin to smoke
    reignite
    ignite anew, as of something burning
    conflagrate, enkindle, inflame, kindle
    cause to start burning
    light up
    ignite
    flare up
    ignite quickly and suddenly, especially after having died down
  4. verb
    cause to undergo combustion
    “burn garbage”
    “The car burns only Diesel oil”
    synonyms: incinerate
    incinerate
    become reduced to ashes
    burn down, fire
    destroy by fire
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    type of:
    change integrity
    change in physical make-up
  5. verb
    undergo combustion
    “Maple wood burns well”
    synonyms: combust
    burn down, fire
    destroy by fire
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    burn down, burn up, go up
    burn completely; be consumed or destroyed by fire
    smolder, smoulder
    burn slowly and without a flame
    scorch, sear, singe
    become superficially burned
    deflagrate
    burn with great heat and intense light
    flame
    be in flames or aflame
    blaze up, burn up, flame up, flare
    burn brightly
    blaze
    burn brightly and intensely
    incinerate
    become reduced to ashes
    type of:
    change state, turn
    undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
  6. verb
    burn at the stake
    “Witches were burned in Salem”
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    type of:
    execute, put to death
    kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
  7. verb
    get a sunburn by overexposure to the sun
    synonyms: sunburn
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    type of:
    color, colour, discolor, discolour
    change color, often in an undesired manner
  8. verb
    burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
    synonyms: cauterise, cauterize
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    type of:
    care for, treat
    provide treatment for
  9. noun
    damage inflicted by fire
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    types:
    scald
    the act of burning with steam or hot water
    type of:
    damage, harm, hurt, scathe
    the act of damaging something or someone
  10. noun
    a place or area that has been burned (especially on a person's body)
    synonyms: burn mark
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    types:
    cigarette burn
    a burn mark left by a smoldering cigarette
    type of:
    blemish, defect, mar
    a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body)
  11. noun
    an injury caused by exposure to heat or chemicals or radiation
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    electric burn
    a burn caused by heat produced by an electric current
    scorch, singe
    a surface burn
    scald
    a burn cause by hot liquid or steam
    first-degree burn
    burn causing redness of the skin surface
    second-degree burn
    burn causing blisters on the skin and superficial destruction of the dermis
    third-degree burn
    burn characterized by destruction of both epidermis and dermis
    erythema solare, sunburn
    redness of the skin caused by exposure to the rays of the sun
    type of:
    harm, hurt, injury, trauma
    any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
  12. noun
    a browning of the skin resulting from exposure to the rays of the sun
    synonyms: sunburn, suntan, tan
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    type of:
    hyperpigmentation
    unusual darkening of the skin
  13. verb
    shine intensely, as if with heat
    “The candles were burning”
    synonyms: glow
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    types:
    gutter
    burn unsteadily, feebly, or low; flicker
    type of:
    beam, shine
    emit light; be bright, as of the sun or a light
  14. verb
    cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort
    “The sun burned his face”
    synonyms: bite, sear, sting
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    types:
    nettle, urticate
    sting with or as with nettles and cause a stinging pain or sensation
    type of:
    ache, hurt, smart
    be the source of pain
  15. verb
    feel hot or painful
    “My eyes are burning”
    Synonyms:
    bite, sear, sting
    cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort
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    type of:
    ache, hurt, smart
    be the source of pain
  16. verb
    feel strong emotion, especially anger or passion
    “She was burning with anger”
    “He was burning to try out his new skies”
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    type of:
    experience, feel
    undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
  17. noun
    pain that feels hot as if it were on fire
    synonyms: burning
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    type of:
    hurting, pain
    a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
  18. verb
    use up (energy)
    “burn off calories through vigorous exercise”
    synonyms: burn off, burn up
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    type of:
    consume, deplete, eat, eat up, exhaust, run through, use up, wipe out
    use up (resources or materials)
  19. verb
    spend (significant amounts of money)
    “He has money to burn”
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    type of:
    blow, squander, waste
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
  20. verb
    create by duplicating data
    “burn a CD”
    synonyms: cut
    cut
    record a performance on (a medium)
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    type of:
    create, make, produce
    create or manufacture a man-made product
Pronunciation
US

/bərn/
UK

/bən/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘burn'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family

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