kindled; kindling
ˈkin(d)-liŋ 
ˈkin-dᵊl-iŋ
1
: to start (a fire) burning : light
using dry twigs to kindle a fire
3
: to cause to glow : illuminate
animation kindling his pale face—
A. J. Cronin
A. J. Cronin1
: to catch fire : begin to burn
waiting for the fire to kindle
2
a
: to flare up
… their mutual resentment again kindled …—Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
b
: to become animated
no boy will fail to kindle to the struggles of his California youth—Ethna Sheehan
Ethna Sheehan3
: to become illuminated
light kindled in the liquor—Frances G. Patton
Frances G. Patton
kindled; kindling
: bear sense 3a
—used especially of a rabbit
: to bring forth young
—used especially of a rabbit
Examples of kindle in a Sentence
Verb (1)
worried that lightning will kindle the forest in the drought-stricken nature preserve
Recent Examples on the Web
Oshan Jarow, Vox, 8 Jan. 2025
All told, the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield started the year low, burst higher amid signs that inflation would be more stubborn than expected, then tumbled in the summer as inflation fears subsided and the unemployment rate rose to a level that kindled recession fears.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 3 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for kindle
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Verb
Just having the labels helped kindle my interest in playing around with things.
—Oshan Jarow, Vox, 8 Jan. 2025
All told, the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield started the year low, burst higher amid signs that inflation would be more stubborn than expected, then tumbled in the summer as inflation fears subsided and the unemployment rate rose to a level that kindled recession fears.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 3 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for kindle
Cite this Entry
“Kindle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kindle. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
kindle
intransitive verb
kin·dle
ˈkin-dᵊl
kindled; kindling
: to bring forth young
—used chiefly of a rabbit
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