Synonyms

ignite

American

[ig-nahyt] / ɪgˈnaɪt /

verb (used with object)

to set on fire; kindle.
Chemistry. to heat intensely; roast.

verb (used without object)

to take fire; begin to burn.

ignite British

/ ɪɡˈnaɪt /

verb

to catch fire or set fire to; burn or cause to burn
(tr) chem to heat strongly
(tr) to stimulate or provoke

the case has ignited a nationwide debate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See kindle ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of ignite

First recorded in 1660–70; from Latin ignītus “set on fire,” past participle of ignīre “to set on fire,” from ign(is) “fire” + -īre, infinitive verb suffix

Explanation

Ignite is a verb that means to start heat or a flame. Trying to ignite a match inside a dark fireworks factory is a really bad idea — one that can get you blown sky high. The literal definition of ignite is to cause something to catch fire or burn. Dousing a house in gasoline and putting a lit match to the front door will surely cause the home to ignite. In its more figurative sense, ignite means to inspire intense feelings. A passionate kiss can ignite a fiery romance and a controversial speech can ignite fierce anger.

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Vocabulary lists containing ignite

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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:

ignite ignites ignited igniting

But her talent for finding stories that resonate and ignite has increasingly drawn her into some of publishing’s most contentious debates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Heat from the vehicle caused the dry brush to ignite under the car, according to testimony from California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Matt Palade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

A previous attempt at launch was abruptly scrubbed just as the booster began to ignite, in an automatic stoppage that occurred after some engines did not start.

From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026

Hotter, drier conditions are leaving vegetation with less moisture, creating fuel that enables wildfires to ignite and spread more quickly.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

“Fire. Books can ignite fires in your mind, because they carry ideas for kindling, and art for matches.”

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt

It said the inflaters—a component that ignites and rapidly fills an air bag during a crash—were likely imported illegally into the U.S. and put inside air bags that were then sold online as aftermarket replacements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Shin may be trying to remove fuel before the room ignites on its own.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

Fire Administration, potentially leading to a process known as thermal runaway, in which the battery ignites through a self-sustaining chemical reaction that is impossible to stop until it runs out on its own.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026

Covered with soundproofing foam that was never safety tested, it ignites quickly.

From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2026

Before the moment ignites, I step in between the two of them.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Last season, an Eredivisie match between Ajax and Groningen was abandoned after fireworks and flares were ignited behind one of the goals at Johan Cruyff Arena.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

On 15 April, police were called to the offices of Volant Media in Park Royal, the parent company of Persian news channel Iran International, after an "ignited container" was thrown towards the site.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

The combined shock of the fire and back-to-back heatwaves has ignited a debate over whether Belgium is sufficiently prepared for the effects of climate change.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

Unfortunately, that created what Pill described as a tinderbox, ignited by the energy crisis after Russia invaded Ukraine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

The gold ignited around the black ink, and Danny read those chosen words out loud: “ ‘Beware the place where shadows rise.’

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

They spend plenty of time visiting the “Real World: Boston” house where Duffy reconnects with his erstwhile housemate, Montana McGlynn, and next to none discussing Boston’s pivotal role in igniting the American Revolution.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026

The study largely ignored utilities’ responsibility for igniting fires.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

“The tinderbox looks increasingly close to igniting in full force.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 19, 2026

Warsh has expressed a preference for the 1996 Fed approach, which allowed fast growth without igniting inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

He imagined a candle falling over, the way it had on his desk, and the entire place igniting.

From "The Marvels" by Brian Selznick

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023