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
This suddenly feels like more than a passing of the torch at Torrey Pines. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2025 Officers recovered a propane tank with a blowtorch in a Jeep parked behind the house and three torch heads in the suspect's bedroom, according to the probable cause statement. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Her body was found riddled with bullet holes inside her torched Dodge Durango in Osceola County. Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025 After torching Awad’s jeep, the settlers shifted their attention to the barn adjacent to his house, which contained 10 tons of animal feed, and set it on fire as well. Basel Adra, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for torch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torch
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • Make a massive ‘SOS’ or light a fire to create smoke.
    Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The way the room is lit, the pacing of the evening, the way a dish is introduced, the way our team gets to know our guests - these small things create the overall experience.
    Noel Burgess, Forbes, 3 Mar. 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
  • The menacing firebug lit several blazes in South Ozone Park on July 4, including a house fire that left two residents hospitalized for more than a month.
    Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The killing, which was captured on video by a bystander, ignited global protests against racial injustice, police brutality and saw a reemergence of the BLM movement.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • The 48-year-old man was arrested by Cal Fire Law Enforcement Investigators who were examining the cause of two fires that ignited on Jan. 21., officials said.
    Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • So we’re introduced to Joseph, freshly fired from a menial job and stepping into a world that doesn’t want him.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Ødegaard fired in another goal midway through the second half and later played a brilliant ball to Riccardo Calafiori, who completed the rout on 85 minutes.
    George Ramsay, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Fayetteville, Arkansas — Behind every great teacher there is a great mentor who long ago kindled a passion for education.
    Steve Hartman, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025
  • The unequal toll of COVID-19 kindled a national conversation about health disparities.
    Pria Anand, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The incident also scorched a neighboring structure.
    George Avalos, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025
  • According to the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies, the blast triggered a blaze that scorched the refinery’s primary oil procession unit.
    David Axe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Torch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torch. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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