WordGarden.iocombust
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /kəmbˈʌst/
US
- /kəmˈbəst/
Meanings
Verb
to burn through a rapid chemical reaction
to suddenly erupt into intense emotion or conflict
Beyond the definition
To combust means to burn, usually fast and with obvious heat or flame. Think of wood turning bright in a fireplace, or gasoline igniting in an engine. It is stronger than a gentle burn and usually points to quick oxidation with oxygen. Outside the technical sense, people sometimes use it to describe something that flares up fast, like a scandal exploding after exposure. It is not a casual word for every ordinary problem, and it should be used for moments that suddenly build into open heat.
The word "combust" describes the process of burning, but it usually means a strong, active reaction, not a slow or small one. In science, to combust is to undergo fast oxidation—a chemical reaction between fuel and oxygen that releases heat and light, along with gases and sometimes smoke. This is the process that powers internal combustion engines and heats many homes.
In practice, combustion can be controlled, like in a stove, furnace, or engine, or uncontrolled, like an open fire spreading fast. Engineers use the term to study fuel efficiency, engine design, emissions, and safe burning behavior. Safety teams also watch for spontaneous combustion, where materials ignite on their own under heat and pressure.
Outside the lab, people often use "combust" in stories and headlines for sudden intensification: arguments that burst out, rumors that ignite, or pressure that triggers a loud public reaction. In those cases, the word is more vivid and less formal, but it still carries the same idea of rapid escalation.
Examples
- 1
Diesel engines
In a diesel engine, the fuel combusts under high pressure rather than from a spark.
- 2
Fire safety
The safety guide warns that oily rags can combust if they are left in a hot, enclosed space.
- 3
Anger
I thought he was going to combust when they delayed the flight again.
- Phrasebe going to combust
seem extremely angry; this is figurative
See also
Similar
- burn
- catch fire
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- spontaneously combust
- combust in air
- combust under pressure
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- combustverb