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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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Elements of the Universe: Ign, Igni ("Fire")

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Chains

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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

Where to use last season's top scorer Russo is a conundrum, given she has yet to ignite either as a central striker or in the number 10 role.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

An abrupt slowdown could ignite shock waves throughout the U.S. economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

During severe droughts, these normally wet landscapes can dry enough to ignite.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026

"El Nino does not ignite fires. It creates the dry conditions that allow human-started fires to escape and become very large," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Sep. 5, 2026

We’d always keep a small fire smoldering up by the hut and if an airplane came near, he’d take a piece of burning wood from our small fire to ignite the big one.

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor

“When you see someone, and you’re excited, or you’re angry,” Suwinyattichaiporn said, “it ignites a similar part of the brain.”

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

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

"As soon as there is a small spark or heat, the methane gas under the mountain of rubbish immediately ignites," Wahyu explained.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

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

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

The audacity of the Union cavalry charge and its succeed-at-allcosts desperation ignites panic in the rebel force.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly

During the disaster, however, the graphite ignited and continued burning for ten days.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026

The protests - ignited at the Lycée Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry in the deprived Paris suburb of Créteil - have struck a chord across the country.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The spark was ignited on September 23 when 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her lifelong Madrid home on a stretcher after the real estate firm that owned the apartment drastically hiked the rent.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

A second fire broke out at the site in September, during continuing cleanup and demolition, after hundreds of still-energized batteries spontaneously ignited.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at a lamp on the bedside table and it ignited at once, bathing the room in a pleasant golden glow.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

AI agents may give everyday shoppers an edge, but the technology is igniting an even more intense tug of war over consumer dollars.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

“This is a deliberate first step in igniting Sanofi’s innovation engine,” the company’s recently appointed chief executive, Belen Garijo, said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

These surge for tens of kilometers, splintering trees, igniting forests and burying the remnants beneath hot ash and pumice.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Officials last year said cleanup would proceed slowly, because of the risk of igniting another fire while removing the thousands of charged batteries that remained on site.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

Brendan's hands turned as red as his hair, almost igniting in flames.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

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