aflame
Americanadjective
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on fire; ablaze.
The house was all aflame.
-
eager and excited.
I was aflame with curiosity.
adverb
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in flames; ablaze
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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.
The strikes hit gas and oil storage facilities including at a power plant in Abha and left the major refinery at Jazan aflame and offline, Saudi Arabia said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
His dark eyes are expressive, aflame with passion, but he too often signals surging emotion by turning up the volume.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 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
Trip’s tent was entirely aflame by now, and Shandi’s wagon was standing with one wheel in Marion’s campfire.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
