burn away

verb

To remove or be removed by burning.

“The laser burned away the excess body hair.”

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Meanings

verbburn away (third-person singular simple present burns away, present participle burning away, simple past and past participle burned away or burnt away)

present singular third person burns away · participle present burning away · participle past burned away · past burned away · participle past burnt away · past burnt away

  1. ergativeTo remove or be removed by burning.

    The laser burned away the excess body hair.

  2. broadlyfigurativelyto remove instantly and forcefully; to evaporate

    In fact, McChrystal's whole manner was that of someone who's burned away frivolity and distractions from his life.

    2020, Barack Obama, chapter 13, in A Promised Land, Crown

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
burnburn downburn offchar upcindercomburecombustcremateforburnforswealincineratescathe
Cite this entry
APA

burn away. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20away

MLA

“burn away.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20away. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “burn away,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20away.

Source: burn away on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.