combustible

[ kuhm-buhs-tuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of catching fire and burning; inflammable; flammable:

   Gasoline vapor is highly combustible.

2. easily excited:

   a high-strung, combustible nature.

noun

1. a combustible substance:

   Trucks carrying combustibles will not be allowed to use this tunnel.

combustible

/ kəmˈbʌstəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of igniting and burning
2. easily annoyed; excitable

noun

1. a combustible substance

Derived Forms

• comˌbustiˈbility, noun
• comˈbustibly, adverb

Other Words From

• com·busti·bili·ty com·busti·ble·ness noun
• com·busti·bly adverb
• uncom·busti·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of combustible¹

From the Late Latin word combūstibilis, dating back to 1520–30. See combust, -ible

Example Sentences

The Rams defense also kept folks clapping, holding the combustible Dolphin offense to 238 yards.

From Los Angeles Times

This collision of symbols and their meaning in this historic moment is one of the main reasons why the 2024 election is so combustible.

From Salon

“And just like that, the bold, combustible and sometimes brilliant political career of Donald J. Trump comes to an end,” one opinion piece in The Hill read.

From BBC

Though the sightseeing may, at first, seem like a device to throw the estranged David and Benji together for a much needed if inevitably fraught reunion, Eisenberg deftly blends the story’s strands in darkly amusing, moving and combustible ways.

From Los Angeles Times

This was traditional Dodgers talent mixed with newfound Dodgers tough, the combustible combination exploding across the baseball world, leaving teams in tatters from the Pacific Ocean to the Hudson River.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fiery
• flammable
• incendiary
• volatile