incense 1 of 3

noun

ˈin-ˌsen(t)s How to pronounce incense (audio)
Definition of incensenext
1
as in scent
a sweet or pleasant smell the heavenly incense of spring flowers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in butter
excessive praise count on the office manager to spread the incense whenever there's a visiting VIP from the head office

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incense

2 of 3

verb (1)

in-ˈsen(t)s How to pronounce incense (audio)
as in to anger
to make angry the insult so incensed him that he had to be restrained from hitting the guy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incense

3 of 3

verb (2)

ˈin-ˌsen(t)s How to pronounce incense (audio)
as in to scent
to fill or infuse with a pleasant odor or odor-releasing substance the gift shop was heavily incensed with a cloying mixture of herbal essences

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of incense
Noun
During the Qingming Festival, observed each year in April, families visit ancestral graves with food offerings and burn incense and paper replicas of everyday goods for their ancestors. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 The seed, Esfand, is rendered as ovoid lamps and incense holders. — Sean Santiago, Architectural Digest, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
The duo's defiance paved the way for a resolution to condemn socialism, a key election-year messaging bill for the GOP that drew glaring defections among Democrats, many of whom were incensed at the turn of events. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026 The smokejumpers ultimately kept their jobs, but the episode incensed the Alaska crew. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incense
  1. scent
  2. praise
  3. anger
  4. perfume
  5. fragrance
  6. flattery
  7. infuriate
  8. aroma
Noun
  • The first product in the line is a dog shampoo in the brand’s Orange & Cedarwood scent, priced at 18 pounds.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • First released in celebration of its 250th anniversary, Creed has since extended Aventus into a full collection, and the original is generally regarded as one of the most influential men’s scents of the century.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of scent
Noun
  • Sony revived Resident Evil last month and HBO drew big viewership and critical praise with The Last of Us, just to name a couple of recent success stories.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Posters of Kate Moss photographed by Juergen Teller have been plastered over the city and praise for the exhibition has been handed largely to Enninful.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of praise
Verb
  • The widespread use of arrests, tear gas and riot-control weapons against teenagers is fueling defiance and angering some parents and teachers.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party champion Taiwan’s separate identity from China, a position that frequently angers Beijing, which views the island as Chinese territory.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • This recipe, which keeps things simple, relies on the winning combination of cinnamon and apples to perfume a vanilla cake with pockets of tender fruit.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Don’t miss the botanical and sculpture gardens, which are perfumed by the jasmine and orchid flowers that bloom all over.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of perfume
Noun
  • Others include California Coast with a sea salt, linen and moss fragrance and Life & Lemons with an aroma of citrus, musk and green tea.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In October 2025, Lauder debuted its fragrance atelier at La Maison des Parfums in Paris to accelerate the company’s growing luxury and prestige perfume business.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of fragrance
Noun
  • Manipulation, escalation, flattery and vindictiveness are not the unavoidable price of sounding natural.
    — Puneet Gaur, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Tom Cruise's recent effusive praise for Kate Middleton was not just Hollywood flattery, according to royal experts.
    — Ashley Hume , Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of flattery
Verb
  • Cummings said that in January 2021, a friend of Birchmore’s called Stoughton police and told a dispatcher about the illicit relationship, infuriating Farwell.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 9 Oct. 2026
  • His laserlike focus on the particulars of the story doesn’t leave much room for extrapolation; even the infuriating case of bureaucratic overreach that the film depicts can easily be understood, and perhaps even defended, as an aberration.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Noun
  • These casual spaces will draw you in with the aroma of baked cheese, usually with a barrel of buñuelos (perfectly round, crisp cheese balls) frying at the entrance.
    — Nikkita Nair, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Salt & Stone Santal & Vetiver Candle Salt & Stone’s best-selling santal and vetiver scent brings the aroma of a crackling bonfire, minus the excessive smoke inhalation.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of aroma

Browse Nearby Words

incendiary
incense
incensed
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Cite this Entry

“Incense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incense. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on incense

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about incense

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