ignite
To set something on fire or make it start burning.
ignite in a sentence
- One spark from the campfire was enough to ignite the dry leaves.
- Never let children ignite the fireworks; only a grown-up may light them.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to ignite?
- Alight
- Bdouse
- Cextinguish
Show the answer
A: light. The other three mean the opposite of ignite.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to ignite?
- Aspark
- Bextinguish
- Clight
- Dburn
Show the answer
B: extinguish. The other three mean nearly the same as ignite.
Words that mean something similar
light, burn, spark
Words that mean the opposite
extinguish, douse
More words about light & dark
- illuminate: To light something up.
- indistinct: Not clear enough to see or hear properly.
- inferno: A huge, fierce fire that is out of control.
- kindle: To start a fire, or to stir up a feeling.
- luminous: Giving off light, or glowing brightly.
- mellow: Soft, gentle and relaxed.
- murky: Dark, dirty and hard to see through.
- ominous: Giving you a worrying feeling that something bad is about to happen.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test