verb
incinerate
ihn-SIH-nuh-rayt
Incinerate (verb) means to destroy something completely by burning. Example: “The hospital incinerates medical waste on site.”
verb
1
To destroy something completely by burning.
"A cloud of smoke from two pounds of methamphetamine seized by the FBI and incinerated inside a Montana animal shelter sent its workers to the hospital, city officials in Billings said."
— , Meth burn by FBI smokes out Montana animal shelter (2025)
"The hospital incinerates medical waste on site."
"The old documents were incinerated after the case closed."
"His mother was incinerated in the Dresden fire-storm. So it goes."
— Kurt Vonnegut, Jr (1969)
How to use incinerate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo burn something completely, reducing it to ash.
Common pairings
incinerate waste
incinerated remains
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- incinerates
- Past tense
- incinerated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The hospital _____ medical waste on site.
Etymology
From Latin incinerātus, "reduced to ashes," from cinis, "ashes" — the same root as "cinder."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for incinerate
See all rhymes for incinerate →Frequently asked questions
What does “incinerate” mean?
The word “incinerate” means to destroy something completely by burning. In plain terms, to burn something completely, reducing it to ash.
How do you pronounce “incinerate”?
“Incinerate” is pronounced ihn-SIH-nuh-rayt (/ɪnˈsɪnɚeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “incinerate” in a sentence?
Here is “incinerate” used in a sentence: “The hospital incinerates medical waste on site.”
What is another word for “incinerate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “incinerate” include burn, burn away, burn down, burn up, burn to a crisp and char up.
What is the opposite of “incinerate”?
The opposite of “incinerate” — its antonyms — are extinguish, salvage and save.
What part of speech is “incinerate”?
“Incinerate” is a verb.
Where does the word “incinerate” come from?
The word “incinerate” comes from Latin. From Latin incinerātus, "reduced to ashes," from cinis, "ashes" — the same root as "cinder.".
