burning and burying differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. burning means “the act of burning something”. burying means “concealing something under the ground”. burning is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɝnɪŋ/
1.n.the act of burning something
“the burning of leaves was prohibited by a town ordinance”
2.n.pain that feels hot as if it were on fire
3.n.a process in which a substance reacts with oxygen to give heat and light
/ˈbɛɹiɪŋ/
1.n.concealing something under the ground
| burning | burying | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɝnɪŋ/ | /ˈbɛɹiɪŋ/ |
| Said | BUR-ning | BER-ee-ing |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Letters | 7 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun, adjective | noun |
| Senses | 7 | 1 |
| How common | Core | Familiar |
| Synonyms | combustion | burial |
Full entry for burning · Full entry for burying · More comparisons