torch 1 of 2

as in igniter
a person who deliberately and unlawfully sets fire to a building or other property several suspicious fires in the past few months have probably been set by the same torch

Synonyms & Similar Words

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torch

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of torch
Noun
Flame weeders use propane, similar to a torch, to burn the weeds. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2025 Additionally, driving or parking on dry vegetation and using open-flame tools like welding torches is not allowed without a permit. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
Verb
Burnt Faith, named for the transformation inherent in both distillation and belief, is a brand that torches tradition with purpose. Lela London, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 Walmart has some serious tech deals that won’t torch your budget. Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for torch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torch
Verb
  • The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.
    Neeti Mehra, Treehugger, 13 Sep. 2023
  • The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.
    Carole Horst, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023
Verb
  • At blue hour, Abe captured the foreground—the internal walls and water—gently lit by the setting sun.
    Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025
  • Relatives said McFarlane went out with his buddies to celebrate Independence Day, and joined with a crowd of revelers lighting fireworks a few blocks from his home.
    Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • In video released by police, the firebug could be seen setting fire to a small pile of trash next to the head of a sleeping passenger stretched out on the seat.
    Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2025
  • Two men have been charged with felony arson in Los Angeles in unrelated cases as authorities combat firebugs, looters and multiple raging blazes in Southern California.
    Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • During the tussle, the suspect was able to ignite the fuel, setting fire to one of the probation officers, the department wrote in a post on Facebook.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
  • But there is a wider discontent among the MAGA base that the president must contend with as well, according to experts, who point out how parts of the populist movement that ignited his initial candidacy in 2016 and catapulted him back to power last year are beginning to feel alienated.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • While unconfirmed, sources say the film revolves around the period at the artificial intelligence company OpenAI in 2023 that saw CEO Sam Altman fired and rehired in a matter of days.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 July 2025
  • During the confrontation, Chavis fired two shots, police said.
    Julia Marnin July 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • If a flawed family-friendly movie can kindle the audience’s curiosity in pre-Columbian civilizations, that’s a net positive.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 July 2025
  • Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Lessons learned from wildfires that scorched local canyon communities in the recent past — the Coastal fire, the Aliso fire and the Bond fire — were pulled in and law enforcement personnel from Pasadena spoke about their experiences in the Eaton fire in January.
    Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 10 July 2025
  • That ridge is currently parked over Arizona, acting like a giant atmospheric lid creating scorching daytime temperatures and warm nights beneath.
    Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Torch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torch. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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