burning

The word “burning” means on fire, or so hot it seems to be on fire. In plain terms, on fire, or (figuratively) extremely intense, urgent, or passionately felt.

“Burning” is pronounced BUR-nihng (/ˈbɝnɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “burning” used in a sentence: “Firefighters rushed into the burning building.”

Depending on how it is used, “burning” can be an adjective and a noun.

“Burning” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Burning” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: on fire, or so hot it seems to be on fire.

Burning means actively on fire, usually with visible flames and intense heat. Smouldering means burning slowly without flames, producing smoke and glowing embers instead. A smouldering fire can flare into open burning if it gets enough air, which is why smouldering material is still treated as dangerous.

Burning is often used figuratively. A burning sensation is a stinging, hot feeling on the skin or in the body. A burning question or burning desire is one felt with great intensity and urgency. In each case the word borrows the heat and force of real fire to add emphasis.

It can be both. As an adjective, burning describes something on fire or intensely hot — a burning building, burning heat. As a verb, it is the present participle of 'burn,' describing the action itself: the logs are burning. The same word shifts role depending on how the sentence is built.