combust

verb
UK: /kəmˈbʌst/
US: /kəmˈbʌst/

  1. To start burning or burst into flames.

    1. The paper will combust quickly if exposed to an open flame.
    2. Under the intense heat, the fuel began to combust violently producing a large fireball.

  2. To be destroyed by fire.

    1. The old wooden shed will combust if we aren't careful with the bonfire.
    2. Without proper ventilation, the stored chemicals could spontaneously combust and cause an explosion.

  3. To become very excited or agitated.

    1. He will combust with anger when he hears the news.
    2. When she realized she had won the lottery, she nearly combusted with joy and excitement.

Synonyms

burn ignite flame erupt
combust adjective

  1. In the state of being on fire.

    1. The combust material burned rapidly.
    2. The combust engine used gasoline.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "combust" in English means: To start burning or burst into flames., To be destroyed by fire., To become very excited or agitated..

The phonetic transcription of "combust" is /kəmˈbʌst/ in British English and /kəmˈbʌst/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "combust": burn, ignite, flame, erupt.

Example usage of "combust": "The paper will combust quickly if exposed to an open flame.". More examples on the page.