ablaze
Americanadjective
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burning; on fire.
They set the logs ablaze.
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gleaming with bright lights, bold colors, etc.
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excited; eager; zealous; ardent.
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very angry.
adjective
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on fire; burning
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brightly illuminated
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emotionally aroused
Etymology
Origin of ablaze
Explanation
Use the adjective ablaze to describe something that's on fire. Once your campfire is ablaze, you can toast marshmallows over it. If there's a terrible fire in your town, it might set many houses ablaze, and some people dispose of fallen leaves and branches by setting them ablaze in the yard. The word dates from the 14th century, and it combines the prefix a-, which here means "on," and blaze, or "flame," from the Old English blæse, "torch, flame, firebrand, or lamp."
Vocabulary lists containing ablaze
"Ode to the Table" by Pablo Neruda
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Towers Falling
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Let There Be Light: Synonyms for "Bright"
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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.
Dunn said neighbours knew the woman next door to the property ablaze lived alone.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Friday’s broadcast ended with a literal bang, with Colbert, Daniels and White taking hammers to the talk show set and setting it ablaze.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
For example, the Fairmont the Palm hotel in Dubai that was set ablaze early in the war was insured against terrorism and sabotage, according to people familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
The nationwide unrest in September saw the parliament and government offices set ablaze and led to Oli's ouster.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
They must have been worried that there was a spark that would have set the rest of us ablaze.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
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.
