Standard Lemma guide

combust

adj · noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /kəmˈbʌst/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌst
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 M B AH1 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Burnt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

In close conjunction with the sun (so that its astrological influence is "burnt up"), sometimes specified to be within 8 degrees 30'.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: astrology, human-sciences, mysticism, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

That which undergoes burning.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To burn; to catch fire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: go up, burn, combust, forburn, outburn, torch

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To erupt with enthusiasm or boisterousness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

undergo combustion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Maple wood burns well

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: burn

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change state, turn

Narrower terms: burn down, burn up, go up, smolder, smoulder, scorch, sear, singe, deflagrate, flame, flare, flame up, blaze up, blaze

7

verb

Meaning 7

cause to become violent or angry

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Riots combusted Pakistan after the U.S. air attacks on Afghanistan

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: anger

8

verb

Meaning 8

get very angry and fly into a rage

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The professor combusted when the student didn't know the answer to a very elementary question
  • Spam makes me go ballistic

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flip one's lid, blow up, throw a fit, hit the roof, hit the ceiling, have kittens, have a fit, blow one's stack, fly off the handle, flip one's wig, lose one's temper, blow a fuse, go ballistic

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rage

9

verb

Meaning 9

start to burn or burst into flames

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Marsh gases ignited suddenly
  • The oily rags combusted spontaneously

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: erupt, ignite, catch fire, take fire, conflagrate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change state, turn

Narrower terms: blow out, catch, light up

10

verb

Meaning 10

cause to burn or combust

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The sun burned off the fog
  • We combust coal and other fossil fuels

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: burn

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: ignite, light, set ablaze, set aflame, set on fire, set afire, char, coal, deflagrate

History

Etymology

From Middle English combust (“burnt”), from Old French combust, from Latin combustus, the perfect passive participle of Latin combūrere (“to burn up”).

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Assamese: জলা (zola) — burn
  • Assamese: জ্বলা (zola) — burn
  • Bulgarian: запалвам (zapalvam) — burn
  • Bulgarian: изгарям (izgarjam) — burn
  • Finnish: palaa — burn
  • Finnish: syttyä — burn
  • German: verbrennen — burn
  • German: in Flammen aufgehen — burn
  • Māori: ngingiha — burn
  • Māori: ngiha — burn
  • Persian: آتش گرفتن (âteš gereftan) — burn
  • Persian: بسوزم (besuzan) — burn
  • Polish: zapłonąć — burn
  • Polish: zapalić się — burn
  • Spanish: combustionar — burn