ENGLISH THESAURUS & DICTIONARY

burn

noun · verb

Words like burn

Compare the definitions to choose the right meaning.

103 words · noun, verbSort by

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MEANING & USAGE

Definitions & examples

01noun

pain that feels hot as if it were on fire

02noun

an injury caused by exposure to heat or chemicals or radiation

03noun

a place or area that has been burned (especially on a person's body)

04noun

damage inflicted by fire

15 more meanings

05verb

destroy by fire

“They burned the house and his diaries”

06verb

shine intensely, as if with heat

“The coals were glowing in the dark”

“The candles were burning”

07verb

undergo combustion

“Maple wood burns well”

08verb

cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort

“The sun burned his face”

09verb

cause to burn or combust

“The sun burned off the fog”

“We combust coal and other fossil fuels”

10verb

feel strong emotion, especially anger or passion

“She was burning with anger”

“He was burning to try out his new skis”

11verb

cause to undergo combustion

“burn garbage”

“The car burns only Diesel oil”

12verb

execute by tying to a stake and setting alight

“Witches were burned in Salem”

13verb

spend (significant amounts of money)

“He has money to burn”

14verb

feel hot or painful

“My eyes are burning”

15verb

burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent

“The surgeon cauterized the wart”

16verb

get a sunburn by overexposure to the sun

17verb

create by duplicating data

“cut a disk”

“burn a CD”

18verb

use up (energy)

“burn off calories through vigorous exercise”

19verb

damage by burning with heat, fire, or radiation

“The iron burnt a hole in my dress”

Meanings and examples from Open English WordNet 2025. About our sources ↗

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Expressions with “burn”

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Explore multiword dictionary entries containing this word. Each has its own meanings and related words.

burn up burn bag burn off burn out burn down burn mark rope burn burn plant