1
: a very flammable substance adaptable for use as kindling
2
: something that serves to incite or inflame
that rhetoric was ready tinder for revolution—
Margaret Peters
Margaret PetersExamples of tinder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While national or state-level vaccination rates may be high, there may be pockets of low immunization that provide tinder for the measles virus, Dr. Omer said.
—Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
The six-function multi-tool also works as a straight-edge striker, tinder scraper, map scale, ruler, hex wrench and bottle opener.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
Use a match to light the tinder, slowly adding the additional sticks and logs as the fire builds.
—Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Oct. 2023
Eventually, the tinder bursts into flame, after which the firemaker can kindle it into a larger fire.
—Bradley Duncan, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023
Even if there's a little bit of moisture left in the vegetation, in a matter of hours these winds can actually suck the remaining moisture out of that fuel and turn it into tinder.
—Michael Calore, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2023
And all the snowmelt has brilliantly greened what’s often a dry, brown tinder box by this time of year.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023
First, have your child collect small twigs and bark (tinder), short sticks (kindling), and larger logs (fuel).
—Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Oct. 2023
Some of the company’s poles are surrounded by invasive grasses that can become explosive tinder in the dry season.
—Peter Eavis, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2023
Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
The six-function multi-tool also works as a straight-edge striker, tinder scraper, map scale, ruler, hex wrench and bottle opener.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
Use a match to light the tinder, slowly adding the additional sticks and logs as the fire builds.
—Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Oct. 2023
Eventually, the tinder bursts into flame, after which the firemaker can kindle it into a larger fire.
—Bradley Duncan, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023
Even if there's a little bit of moisture left in the vegetation, in a matter of hours these winds can actually suck the remaining moisture out of that fuel and turn it into tinder.
—Michael Calore, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2023
And all the snowmelt has brilliantly greened what’s often a dry, brown tinder box by this time of year.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023
First, have your child collect small twigs and bark (tinder), short sticks (kindling), and larger logs (fuel).
—Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Oct. 2023
Some of the company’s poles are surrounded by invasive grasses that can become explosive tinder in the dry season.
—Peter Eavis, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tinder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tinder
Cite this Entry
“Tinder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinder. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tinder
noun
tin·der
ˈtin-dər 
: a material that burns easily and can be used as kindling
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