incinerate

verb

in·​cin·​er·​ate in-ˈsi-nə-ˌrāt How to pronounce incinerate (audio)
incinerated; incinerating
Synonyms of incineratenext

transitive verb

: to cause to burn to ashes
incineration
in-ˌsi-nə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce incinerate (audio)
noun

Examples of incinerate in a Sentence

The waste is incinerated in a large furnace.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Crystal’s house at 860 Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades was incinerated in the wildfire of early January 2025. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026 Facilities ultimately bury or incinerate this waste, which delays the problem rather than solving it. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026 Everything else is incinerating money, but investors seem happy with that because the potential payoffs might be huge. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026 The Food and Drug Administration recommends disposing of drugs by dropping them off at a take-back location or by mailing them using a prepaid envelope that is delivered to a facility where the drugs are incinerated. — Sunny Linnebur, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incinerate

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin incineratus, past participle of incinerare, from Latin in- + ciner-, cinis ashes; akin to Greek konis dust, ashes

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incinerate was in 1555

Rhymes for incinerate

See All Rhymes for incinerate

Browse Nearby Words

incienso
incinerate
incinerator
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Incinerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incinerate. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

incinerate

verb
in·​cin·​er·​ate in-ˈsin-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce incinerate (audio)
incinerated; incinerating
: to burn to ashes
incineration
-ˌsin-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce incinerate (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

incinerate

transitive verb
in·​cin·​er·​ate in-ˈsin-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce incinerate (audio)
incinerated; incinerating
: to cause to burn to ashes

More from Merriam-Webster on incinerate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for incinerate

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