as in to burn
to be on fire especially brightly
anthracite, which is naturally hard, combusts more cleanly than bituminous coal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combust
At this spot, several hundred feet above the 101 Freeway between La Conchita and Rincon Point, the area has also spontaneously combusted during ground shifts, according to previous reporting from The Times.
—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Many times, bodies spontaneously combust and spray blood everywhere.
—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
The element of surprise has mostly worn off, even if Grace tells Faith that one never really gets used to people spontaneously combusting right in front of you.
—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Mar. 2026
During winter, wet road salt can seep into manholes, corroding electrical cables’ insulation, causing sparks and gas that can then combust under pressure.
—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combust
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Many times, bodies spontaneously combust and spray blood everywhere.
—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
The element of surprise has mostly worn off, even if Grace tells Faith that one never really gets used to people spontaneously combusting right in front of you.
—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Mar. 2026
During winter, wet road salt can seep into manholes, corroding electrical cables’ insulation, causing sparks and gas that can then combust under pressure.
—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combust
Verb
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According to Smith, citizens of East Florida even burned the leaders behind the Declaration of Independence in effigy.
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For decades, oceans have acted as the planet’s main heat sink, absorbing 90% of the excess heat produced by humans burning fossil fuels.
Verb
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The glowing ribbon of the Milky Way tumbles directly through this cosmic triangle before arcing towards the southern horizon, though its diffuse light will be hidden behind a veil of moonlight on the night of the full moon.
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Nobody writes a glowing reference for the person who stole their idea.
Verb
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The clip ultimately evolved into a lo-fi vision of the Rapture, complete with giant flaming hands terrorizing the band.
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True insanity seldom results from a huge, flaming blowout when driving.
Cite this Entry
“Combust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combust. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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