start a fire

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The submarine vanished on November 15, 2017 after reporting that seawater had entered the ventilation system, causing a battery on the vessel to short-circuit and start a fire.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

“Now everything is so wet it is hard to even start a fire with wood,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 13, 2025

"Because there is no cooking gas, no food. When we want to have a cup of tea, I collect leaves to start a fire."

From BBC • May 2, 2025

Not only are more homes at risk from wildland fires; these environments now have more residents who might start a fire.

From Scientific American • Nov. 9, 2023

The wind grew cold, but fearing that those on the ship would see the smoke we did not start a fire, though we had meal to cook for breakfast.

From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell