aflame
Americanadjective
-
on fire; ablaze.
The house was all aflame.
-
eager and excited.
I was aflame with curiosity.
adverb
-
in flames; ablaze
-
deeply aroused, as with passion
he was aflame with desire
-
(of the face) red or inflamed
Etymology
Origin of aflame
Explanation
Something that's aflame is on fire. You might accidentally set your marshmallow aflame when you're toasting it over a campfire. Cherries jubilee is a dessert that's famous for being set aflame at the table, and a stray bolt of lightning can set the roof of a house aflame. In either case, something's burning. You can also use the word figuratively, to describe someone who's very excited: "He was aflame with enthusiasm when he learned there would be a new Harry Potter book." The Latin root of aflame is flamma, "blazing fire."
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.
Andersen’s stay at Gad’s Hill has rarely set professional Dickensians aflame.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
When a SpaceX rocket failure set the skies aflame over western Europe last February, no-one was sure if the debris was also polluting our atmosphere.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
When firefighters arrive at the scene, they put out several fireworks that appeared to be aflame on the ground.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
Firefighters arrived to find a home in shambles, with walls collapsed, windows blown out and parts still aflame.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2025
Neither McKim nor Burnham truly believed the fair should be set aflame.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
