kindle
verb (used with object)
to start (a fire); cause (a flame, blaze, etc.) to begin burning.
kindle
1 American
[kin-dl]
/ ˈkɪn dl /
verb (used with object)
kindled,
kindling
verb (used without object)
kindled,
kindling
-
to begin to burn, as combustible matter, a light, fire, or flame.
-
to become aroused or animated.
-
to become lighted up, bright, or glowing, as the sky at dawn or the eyes with ardor.
kindle
2
American
[kin-dl]
/ ˈkɪn dl /
verb (used with object)
kindled,
kindling
verb (used without object)
kindled,
kindling
noun
-
kindles
plural
kindle
1
British
/ ˈkɪndəl /
verb
-
to set alight or start to burn
-
to arouse or be aroused
the project kindled his interest
-
to make or become bright
Kindle
2
British
/ ˈkɪndəl /
noun
Synonym Usage
Kindle, ignite, inflame literally mean to set something on fire. To kindle is to cause something gradually to begin burning; it is often used figuratively: to kindle logs; to kindle someone's interest. To ignite is to set something on fire with a sudden burst of flame; it too is often used figuratively: to ignite straw; to ignite dangerous hatreds. Inflame is most often used figuratively, meaning to intensify, excite, or rouse: to inflame passions.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of kindle1
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English kindlen, from Old Norse kynda (compare Old Norse kindill “torch, candle”) + -le ( def. )
Origin of kindle2
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English kindelen, verb use of kindel “offspring, young,” equivalent to kind- ( Old English gecynd “offspring”) + -el; see -le, kind 2
Explanation
When you start a fire burning, you can say you kindle the fire. Knowing how to kindle a campfire is an important survival skill. It can help keep you warm at night, and keep you from eating cold beans for dinner. The verb kindle not only means to start a fire, but also to catch fire. Another meaning for kindle is to arouse interest or passion. A dynamic music teacher could kindle the students' interest in learning an instrument. Or, romance can also be kindled: "As they danced together, a spark of romance kindled between them."
Vocabulary lists containing kindle
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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:
They helped kindle a Revolution and forge a nation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
“Let’s rededicate ourselves to add more light in honor of those murdered in Sydney. Let’s come out proudly to public menorah lightings, and make sure to kindle our own menorahs at home.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2025
The Club World Cup may have had a lukewarm reception in some parts during the group stages, but Manchester City did their best to kindle interest with a statement victory over Juventus on Thursday.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2025
Hawken hopes to mend that separation by helping people discover the flow of carbon in their daily lives and kindle a sense of wonder about it.
From Salon ● Mar. 24, 2025
The silk sheets, clenched in Ruby’s fists, burst into flame, and an instant later the cloud burst forth rain, severing the dove-and-violin sigh and dousing her before the rest of her bonfire could kindle.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Amazon was pressuring publishers to digitize their backlists for the imminent launch of Kindle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Amazon's Kindle has its own version: "Ask this Book," described as an "expert reading assistant" that answers questions about plot and characters "without disrupting your reading flow."
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Adoption of e-readers like the Kindle and Kobo didn’t replace physical books; and despite the shuttering of mass-market chains like Borders, Waldenbooks and B. Dalton, the last 30 years have seen a reading boom.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
Another frustrated user described the Kindle as "probably one of the most low-tech devices ever made" and queried why Amazon was discontinuing its support for it.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
A new version of Kindle, named Kindle 2, was launched in February 2009, with a catalog of 230,000 ebooks.
From A Short History of EBooks by Marie Lebert
Tanton kindles a small fire of twigs inside a metal pitcher, while expounding for the camera about ecology and overpopulation.
From Salon ● Nov. 14, 2024
And so Byrne, with no one to listen to, kindles into speech.
From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2022
When he meets a young rising superstar, their relationship kindles a newfound competitive fire in him, but it risks throwing her off her game.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 13, 2022
Even today, after decades of air travel that dehumanizes passengers, Saarinen’s structure elicits delight and kindles old hopes.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 12, 2019
His eye kindles at the sight, and balancing himself with half-opened wings on the branch, he watches the result.
From Natural History in Anecdote Illustrating the nature, habits, manners and customs of animals, birds, fishes, reptiles, etc., etc., etc. by Various
She argues that Richmond, alienated from the king and disgusted by parliamentary passivity, kindled a printed firestorm in the public sphere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
For some in Dandong, North Korea's tentative reopening kindled hope of returning home.
From Barron's ● Mar. 29, 2026
The pair of reality TV stars who kindled a romance last year on “Love Island” Season 6 have called it quits, The Times confirmed Monday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2025
A stint in Toronto kindled her desire to fly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2025
When Franz met McCandless, his long-dormant paternal im-pulses were kindled anew.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
But in those circumstances, short sellers provide dry kindling for a conflagration because when the stock jumps, they race to buy it at any price and return borrowed shares.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
An ash tree in my yard dropped a limb and reduced my fence to kindling.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 21, 2026
We matter as much to him as a firestorm cares about kindling.
From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2026
Last month, Unesco recognised it as a Creative City of Gastronomy - adding it to a select list of global cities and kindling hopes that it will spotlight Lucknow's sublime food.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2025
“Yes,” Ash said, and then Kaisa went to the woman, taking some of the kindling from her.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
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.
