Synonyms for ignite
Most common
inflame set fire to set on fire kindle light fire up catch fire
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Inflame — to spark off (something), to trigger
inflame, set fire to, set on fire, kindle, stoke, provoke, excite, stir up, heat, engender, wake, incite, stimulate, instigate, foment, galvanize, galvanise UK, awaken, rouse, stir, motivate, evoke, quicken
2. Set alight — to set fire to (something), to light (something)
3. Catch fire — to commence burning
catch fire, combust, erupt, take fire dated
Other
Definitions
- v. 1
To set fire to (something), to light (something)
- v. 2
To spark off (something), to trigger
ignite someone's interest
- v. 3
To commence burning.
Forms
- Past participle
- ignited
e.g. ignited → inflamed, kindled, stoked, provoked…
Choose the right word
To kindle is to set on fire, as if with a candle; ignite is the more learned and scientific word for the same thing, extending even to the heating of metals to a state of incandescence without burning.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- kindle Will you buy a Kindle, a Nook or a Kobo eReader?
- stoke Suddenly smelling smoke could be a sign of stoke.
- torch Tom asked Mary if she had a torch he could borrow.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| ignite | rising | |
| kindle | steady | |
| stoke | rising | |
| torch | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- born1, heat1, wake1, stir1
- 5 letters
- light1, stoke1, torch1, evoke2, rouse1, erupt2
- 6 letters
- kindle2, awaken3, excite2, incite2, foment2
- 7 letters
- provoke2, quicken2, inflame2, combust2
- 8 letters
- motivate3, engender3
- 9 letters
- stimulate3, instigate3, galvanize3, galvanise
- 11 letters
- conflagrate
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (evoke2 = 2 syllables).