as in burning
being on fire
combusting oxygen tanks turned the fire on the evacuees' bus into a raging inferno
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in glowing
to be on fire especially brightly
anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combusting
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
Crews detected no visible signs of the fire, such as flames, smoke or perceptibly combusting material.
—Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024
After dozens of fires caused by combusting batteries used in electric scooters and bikes in recent years, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is set to consider imposing new restrictions on the rechargeable devices on Tuesday.
—Nora Mishanec, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Dec. 2023
Verb
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
Crews detected no visible signs of the fire, such as flames, smoke or perceptibly combusting material.
—Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024
After dozens of fires caused by combusting batteries used in electric scooters and bikes in recent years, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is set to consider imposing new restrictions on the rechargeable devices on Tuesday.
—Nora Mishanec, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combusting
Adjective
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Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
13 Aug. 2025
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Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Depending on the evening, dinner is served outside under the open sky or inside a softly glowing hoop house.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
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What's left behind is a glowing core, known as a white dwarf, which is sending out radiation that causes the gas shells to glow.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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One young man, his shirt off and loosely draped around his neck along with a Santa Muerte necklace, sports tattoos of a Kalashnikov rifle and a flaming skull, regarding the camera with bedroom eyes.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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Alex Tafoya was a much easier interview, even taking off his Ghost Rider flaming skull headpiece to talk.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Two children watch him from behind while, in one sliver of the background on the top left side of the picture, a blazing red sunset overruns the sky.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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After some chit-chat aboard a space station, all hell breaks loose when a bunch of mercenaries come in guns blazing.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Casting two of the most smoldering contemporary actors on the planet clearly stacks the deck, and carries on the long tradition of pairing a dashing figure of brooding handsomeness (Laurence Olivier, Ralph Fiennes) with a breathless screen beauty (Merle Oberon, Juliette Binoche).—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combusting. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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