burn
1 Americanverb (used without object)
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burns,
present (3rd person singular)
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burned,
past participle, past
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burnt,
past participle, past (especially British)
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burning
present participle
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to undergo rapid combustion or consume fuel in such a way as to give off heat, gases, and, usually, light; be on fire.
The fire burned in the grate.
- Synonyms:
- flame
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(of a fireplace, furnace, etc.) to contain a fire.
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to feel heat or a physiologically similar sensation; feel pain from or as if from a fire.
The wound burned and throbbed.
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to give off light or to glow brightly.
The lights in the house burned all night.
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to give off heat or be hot.
The pavement burned in the noon sun.
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to produce pain or a stinging sensation similar to that of fire; cause to smart.
The whiskey burned in his throat.
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to feel extreme anger.
When she said I was rude, I really burned.
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to feel strong emotion or passion.
He burned with desire.
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Chemistry.
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to undergo combustion, either fast or slow; oxidize.
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to undergo fission or fusion.
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to become charred or overcooked by heat.
The steak burned around the edges.
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to receive a sunburn.
She burns easily and has to stay in the shade.
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to be punished or executed by fire.
You'll burn in hell for that sin.
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to be engraved by or as if by burning.
His words burned into her heart.
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Slang. to die in an electric chair.
The murderer was sentenced to burn.
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Games. to be extremely close to finding a concealed object or guessing an answer.
verb (used with object)
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burns,
present (3rd person singular)
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burned,
past participle, past
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burnt,
past participle, past (especially British)
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burning
present participle
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to cause to undergo combustion or be consumed partly or wholly by fire.
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to use as fuel or as a source of light.
He burned coal to heat the house.
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to cause to feel the sensation of heat.
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to overcook or char.
I almost burned the roast.
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to sunburn.
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to injure, endanger, or damage with or as if with fire.
Look out, you'll burn yourself!
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to execute by burning.
The heretic was burned at the stake.
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to subject to fire or treat with heat as a process of manufacturing.
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to produce with or as if with fire.
She burned a hole in her dress.
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to cause sharp pain or a stinging sensation.
The iodine burned his cut.
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to consume rapidly, especially to squander.
He burned energy as if he never heard of resting.
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Slang. to suffer losses or be disillusioned in business or social relationships.
She was burned by that phony stock deal.
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Slang. to cheat or rob.
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Slang. to insult in a way that is especially perceptive and therefore especially harsh and humiliating.
You just got burned by a seven year old—the kid calls it as she sees it!
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Digital Technology. to copy or write data to (an optical disk).
She burned a CD of their favorite songs.
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Chemistry. to cause to undergo combustion; oxidize.
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Machinery. to damage through excessive friction, as in grinding or machining; scorch.
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Metallurgy. to oxidize (a steel ingot), as with a flame.
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British. to scald (a wine, especially sherry) in an iron container over a fire.
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Cards. to put (a played or rejected card) face up at the bottom of the pack.
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Slang. to disclose the identity of (an undercover agent, law officer, etc.).
to burn a narcotics officer.
noun
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a burned place or area.
a burn where fire had ripped through the forest.
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Pathology. an injury usually caused by heat but also by abnormal cold, chemicals, poison gas, electricity, or lightning, and characterized by a painful reddening and swelling of the epidermis first-degree burn, damage extending into the dermis, usually with blistering second-degree burn, or destruction of the epidermis and dermis extending into the deeper tissue with loss of pain receptors third-degree burn.
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the process or an instance of burning or baking, as in brickmaking.
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a forest or brush fire.
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the firing of a rocket engine.
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Usually the burn a burning sensation felt in the muscles during intense exercise.
Repeat the sit-ups till you feel the burn in your lower abs.
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Slang. a swindle.
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Slang. an especially harsh and humiliating insult or put-down, often delivered in the presence of others: His ego must need first aid after that burn.
Ooh, sick burn, bruh!
His ego must need first aid after that burn.
verb phrase
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burn up
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to burn completely or utterly.
The papers burned up in a minute.
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Informal. to become angry.
He burns up at the mention of her name.
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burn off (of morning mist) to be dissipated by the warmth of the rising sun.
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burn on to weld lead with lead.
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burn down to burn to the ground.
That barn was struck by lightning and burned down.
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burn one up to incite to anger.
That attitude burns me up.
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burn in (in printing) to expose (one part of an image) to more light by masking the other parts in order to darken and give greater detail to the unmasked area. Also print in.
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burn out
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to cease functioning because something has been exhausted or burned up, as fuel or a filament.
Our light bulbs burned out.
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to deprive of a place to live, work, etc., by reason of fire.
They were burned out and had to live with relatives.
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to wear out; exhaust; be worn out; become exhausted.
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idioms
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burn one's bridges (behind one). bridge.
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burn oneself out, to exhaust one's energy, ideas, etc., through overwork or intemperance.
They feared that he would burn himself out or break down.
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burn the / one's candle at both ends, to be excessively active or immoderate, as by leading an active social life by night and a busy work life by day.
You can't burn the candle at both ends and hold onto a job.
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burn the midnight oil, to work, study, etc., until late at night.
to burn the midnight oil before final exams.
noun
verb
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to undergo or cause to undergo combustion
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to destroy or be destroyed by fire
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(tr) to damage, injure, or mark by heat
he burnt his hand
she was burnt by the sun
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to die or put to death by fire
to burn at the stake
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(intr) to be or feel hot
my forehead burns
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to smart or cause to smart
brandy burns one's throat
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(intr) to feel strong emotion, esp anger or passion
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(tr) to use for the purposes of light, heat, or power
to burn coal
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(tr) to form by or as if by fire
to burn a hole
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to char or become charred
the potatoes are burning in the saucepan
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(tr) to brand or cauterize
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(tr) to cut (metal) with an oxygen-rich flame
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to produce by or subject to heat as part of a process
to burn charcoal
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(tr) to copy information onto (a CD-ROM)
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astronomy to convert (a lighter element) to a heavier one by nuclear fusion in a star
to burn hydrogen
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cards to discard or exchange (one or more useless cards)
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informal (tr; usually passive) to cheat, esp financially
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slang to electrocute or be electrocuted
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slang (tr) to drive fast (esp in the phrase go for a burn )
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to commit oneself to a particular course of action with no possibility of turning back
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See candle
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to suffer from having meddled or been rash
noun
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an injury caused by exposure to heat, electrical, chemical, or radioactive agents. Burns are classified according to the depth of tissue affected: first-degree burn : skin surface painful and red; second-degree burn : blisters appear on the skin; third-degree burn : destruction of both epidermis and dermis
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a mark, e.g. on wood, caused by burning
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a controlled use of rocket propellant, esp for a course correction
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a hot painful sensation in a muscle, experienced during vigorous exercise
go for the burn!
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a controlled fire to clear an area of scrub
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slang tobacco or a cigarette
noun
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To be on fire; undergo combustion. A substance burns if it is heated up enough to react chemically with oxygen.
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To cause a burn to a bodily tissue.
Usage
What does burn mean? To burn means to be on fire, as in Nomar burned all the wood in the campfire. To burn literally means to consume fuel in a way that gives off heat, gases, and light, as with a fire, or to contain a fire, as a fireplace does. Burn also has many figurative senses related to its literal sense. For example, if you feel pain from a wound, you might say it burns. Something that stings can also be said to burn. And something that gives off a glow, such as a lamp, also burns. As well, if you’re very angry, you might say you’re burning. And if you have very strong feelings, either positive or negative, you might say you’re burning with those feelings. Finally a burn is a burned place, such as where there was a fire, or an injury to your skin. A first-degree burn usually turns the skin red and causes swelling. A second-degree burn could include blisters, while a third-degree burn causes damage to the tissue beneath the skin. Example: He cleaned up so many sticks from his backyard that he decided to burn them instead of taking them to the dumpster.
Synonym Usage
Burn, scorch, sear, singe refer to the effect of fire or heat. To burn is to consume, wholly or in part, by contact with fire or excessive heat: to burn leaves. Scorch implies superficial or slight burning, resulting in a change of color or in injury to the texture because of shriveling or curling: to scorch a dress while ironing. Sear refers especially to the drying or hardening caused by heat: to sear a roast of meat. Singe applies especially to a superficial burning that takes off ends or projections: to singe hair; singe the pinfeathers from a chicken.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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burnableadjective
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half-burnedadjective
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nonburnableadjective
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unburnableadjective
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unburnedadjective
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well-burnedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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burnsimple
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burnssimple
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have burnedperfect
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have burntperfect
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has burnedperfect
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has burntperfect
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am burningprogressive
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are burningprogressive
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is burningprogressive
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have been burningperfect progressive
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has been burningperfect progressive
Past
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burnedsimple
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burntsimple
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had burnedperfect
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had burntperfect
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was burningprogressive
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were burningprogressive
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had been burningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of burn1
First recorded before 900; Middle English bernen, brennen, Old English beornan (intransitive), (cognate with Gothic, Old High German brinnan ), and Old English bærnan (transitive), (cognate with Gothic brannjan, Old High German brennen )
Origin of burn2
First recorded before 900; Middle English burn(e), bourn(e), Old English burna, burne “stream, brook”; cognate with Gothic brunna, Dutch born, bron, German Brunnen, Old Norse brunnr “spring, well”
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing burn
"Raymond's Run"
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Words with Two Past-Tense Forms That Creeped (or Crept) into English
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Unit 16
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Some singles are turning to AI-trained matchmakers as they burn out on swiping.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
And when space debris re-enters the atmosphere, scientists are on stand-by to issue alerts for objects which may not burn up before landfall.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
“Notably, this email did not offer to refund the purchase price or advise buyers such as plaintiff that the product was defective and using it could result in catastrophic burn injuries.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Hold the burn or scald under cool running water for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the pain feels better.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Scarhead had been gone for two or three days and the breeze was right, so I went to burn the trash.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
Others became stranded due to rising water levels in burns and rivers between Sligachan and Camasunary.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
“But that fire still burns very, very hot.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
The problem, Shurety points out, is that longer fire seasons and more rain during cooler months shortens the window that such burns can be carried out.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
“However, even with hot weather patterns, power burns have been under-performing.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
She repeats this process over and over, working until the cloth burns without charring, remaining bright and white within the flame.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Congress authorized reconstruction after the British burned the White House during the War of 1812 and specifically appropriated money used to construct the original East and West Wings.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
It found that, in some fire-prone ecosystems, protected areas experience larger burned areas and higher fire severity than comparable unprotected forests, largely associated with greater fuel loads and reduced accessibility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
The blaze, dubbed the Ridge fire, was reported around 3 p.m. near the 39000 block of Gorman Post Road and quickly burned about 100 acres of surrounding brush in northwestern Los Angeles County.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
According to the Ministry of Forestry, more than 107,000 hectares of land burned in Indonesia between January and June this year -- more than double the area destroyed in forest fires in 2023.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
A fireplace sat in one corner, the wood burned down to embers, and on the opposite side of the room was an elegant wood desk.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
But "the big question is whether or not we will have a burnt taste during the wine making", Guibergia told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
But he added they cannot make right now a direct comparison in terms of burnt areas or number of ignitions.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
Left behind is a charred out refrigerator, bed frames, a worn out and graffiti-covered couch, piles of left-behind clothes and the burnt debris of the home that once stood there.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
"Indigenous people always knew that, so we burnt continuously all the time. That way there was no fuel for big fires."
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
This parlour looked gloomy: a neglected handful of fire burnt low in the grate; and, leaning over it, with his head supported against the high, old-fashioned mantelpiece, appeared the blind tenant of the room.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
This past week’s anemic employment report rekindled a burning question for the U.S. economy: How many new jobs does it actually need?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge in 2019 of burning lands that belonged to another and paid $600 in court fees while serving 36 months of probation, according to court records.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
While fires have been used for centuries as a way of managing the mountainside, Thompson said controlled burning was usually done in the winter.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Historically, when value stocks are having their moment in the sun, it usually means that the broader market is crashing and burning.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
I look out into the auditorium, the bright spotlights burning my eyes.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
