Synonyms of burn

burn 1 of 2

verb

ˈbərn 

1

as in to glow

to be on fire especially brightly

all evening long we just sat there, contentedly watching the Yule log burn

Synonyms & Similar Words

• glow
• flame
• blaze
• fire
• combust
• flicker
• smolder
• shine
• ignite
• gleam
• melt
• scorch
• go up in flames
• cook
• kindle
• bake
• roast
• char
• light (up)
• flare (up)
• deflagrate
• enkindle
• catch
• beam
• spark
• broil
• smoulder
• brighten
• waver
• sputter
• flash
• beat (down)
• radiate
• sparkle
• glisten
• glare
• glitter
• swelter
• shimmer
• glint
• twinkle
• gutter
• glimmer
• scintillate

2

as in to scorch

to set (something) on fire

it is not a good idea to try to burn old papers in the sink

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scorch
• ignite
• fire
• light
• kindle
• torch
• inflame
• bake
• enflame
• illumine
• enkindle
• cook
• illuminate
• immolate
• ash
• incinerate
• set off
• char
• lighten
• cremate
• brighten
• broil
• deflagrate
• rekindle
• stoke
• kiln
• relight
• irradiate
• scald
• radiate
• reignite
• sear
• frizzle
• bank
• scathe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extinguish
• put out
• quench
• douse
• choke
• snuff (out)
• smother
• suffocate
• dowse
• dull
• stamp (out)
• dim
• darken
• blacken
• obscure

3

as in to steam

to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger

he came home burning with anger because of a reprimand at work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• steam
• rage
• storm
• boil
• shake
• foam
• see red
• sizzle
• fume
• seethe
• rankle
• agitate
• smoulder
• smolder
• rave
• rant
• inflame
• fulminate
• enflame
• flare (up)
• bristle
• convulse
• stew
• chafe
• fret
• roil

4

as in to flame

to shine with a bright harsh light

the bright streetlight outside our motel room burned all night long

Synonyms & Similar Words

• glow
• flame
• blaze
• flare
• glare
• flash
• gleam
• beat
• beam
• radiate
• sparkle
• glance
• glisten
• glint
• glitter
• blind
• shimmer
• twinkle
• dazzle
• glimmer
• scintillate
• glister
• bedazzle
• daze

5

as in to deceive

to cause to believe what is untrue

he's been burned before, so he's careful to double-check such claims now

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deceive
• trick
• fool
• tease
• kid
• sucker
• mislead
• sting
• suck in
• juggle
• misguide
• delude
• catch
• cheat
• snow
• dupe
• bluff
• take in
• have
• buffalo
• misinform
• hoax
• string along
• beguile
• have on
• bamboozle
• humbug
• hoodwink
• gaff
• gammon
• gull
• con
• spoof
• cozen
• pull one's leg
• fake out
• stick
• snooker
• hornswoggle
• pull the wool over one's eyes
• bleed
• do a number on
• lead one up the garden path
• put on
• lead one down the garden path
• defraud
• skin
• shortchange
• swindle
• chisel
• squeeze
• diddle
• hustle
• mulct
• fleece
• rook
• euchre
• flimflam

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expose
• reveal
• undeceive
• show up
• uncover
• tell
• unmask
• debunk
• disclose
• divulge
• unveil
• uncloak
• disabuse
• disillusion
• disenchant

6

as in to consume

to make complete use of

heedlessly burning the country's resources without any concern for future generations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• consume
• spend
• drain
• exhaust
• reduce
• absorb
• use
• eat
• deplete
• expend
• devour
• draw down
• run out of
• use up
• play out
• decrease
• waste
• empty
• diminish
• weaken
• blow
• lessen
• downsize
• dwindle
• clean (out)
• undermine
• bankrupt
• impoverish
• abate
• cripple
• dry up
• lower
• sap
• debilitate
• disable
• dissipate
• enfeeble
• squander
• throw away
• guzzle
• de-escalate
• run through
• lavish
• misspend
• fritter (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• replace
• increase
• renew
• augment
• enforce
• enlarge
• reinforce
• strengthen
• restore
• rebuild
• repair
• save
• preserve
• bolster
• revive
• conserve
• fortify
• reenforce

burn

2 of 2

noun

British

as in brook

a natural body of running water smaller than a river

the walkers forded the shallow burn and then came upon a field of gorse

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brook
• creek
• stream
• rill
• run
• rivulet
• bayou
• beck
• tributary
• wash
• canal
• bourn
• fresh
• runnel
• bourne
• brooklet
• gill
• streamlet
• runoff
• kill
• runlet
• slough
• race
• cut
• slew
• freshet
• arroyo
• cutoff
• channel
• coulee
• watercourse
• waterway
• slue
• branch
• affluent
• billabong
• gut
• distributary
• confluent
• influent
• millstream
• millrace

Examples of burn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Such interactions can light a fuse that may burn throughout a school year, only to erupt when students arrive for a new semester driving their parents’ car. —Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023

William Lucas, 8, survived after Tonya Lucas’ boyfriend at the time rescued him from the burning home. —Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023

Noun

County judges have imposed burn bans in 53 counties. —Amir Mahmoud, arkansasonline.com, 17 Oct. 2024

Remember Izzy, the burn patient from Alec helped last season on The Irrational? —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 15 Oct. 2024

Phrases Containing burn

• burn (up)
• burn one's ears
• burn out
• slow burn