burner

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal · Slang

n. a cheap mobile phone that you use for a short time and then throw away to stay private.

n. a prepaid mobile phone intended for temporary use and disposal to maintain the user's anonymity.

“He bought a burner at the convenience store so he wouldn't have to use his real number.”

“The investigative journalist used a burner to communicate with the whistleblower, fearing that their primary devices might be compromised by surveillance.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Internet Informal · Slang

n. a fake social media account used to post things without people knowing who you really are.

n. an anonymous social media profile or email account created for a specific, often temporary, purpose to hide one's true identity.

“The athlete was caught using a burner account to argue with fans on Twitter.”

“Corporate whistleblowers often operate through burner accounts to leak internal documents without risking immediate professional retaliation.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science Technical

n. a small piece of equipment in a science lab that produces a single flame.

n. a laboratory apparatus, such as a Bunsen burner, designed to produce a single open gas flame for heating or sterilization.

“The students learned how to safely light the burner during their first chemistry lesson.”

“The technician placed the crucible over the burner, carefully monitoring the temperature to prevent the sample from oxidizing too rapidly.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Computing

n. a device used to copy music or data onto a CD or DVD.

n. a hardware device capable of writing data to optical discs, such as CD-Rs or DVDs.

“I used the DVD burner to make a backup of all my old wedding photos.”

“Before the advent of high-capacity cloud storage, an external disc burner was an essential peripheral for archiving large media projects.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Slang

n. a very large, colorful, and complicated piece of graffiti art.

n. an elaborate, technically proficient, and usually large-scale piece of graffiti art.

“The wall under the bridge was covered in impressive burners from the local crew.”

“The abandoned warehouse became a gallery for local writers, featuring several burners that showcased intricate lettering and vibrant color gradients.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal

n. a person who attends the Burning Man festival in the desert.

n. a participant in the annual Burning Man event, typically adhering to the culture of radical self-expression and communal effort.

“Every August, thousands of burners head to the Nevada desert for the event.”

“The local economy sees a significant spike in revenue as burners pass through the small town to stock up on supplies for the week-long festival.”