1 afterburn | Definition of afterburn

afterburn

noun
af·​ter·​burn | \ ˈaf-tÉ™r-ËŒbÉ™rn How to pronounce afterburn (audio) \

Definition of afterburn

1 : a hot, spicy, or burning sensation that remains in the mouth after consumption of a food or beverage And at 13.5 percent alcohol, it leaves a noticeable afterburn on the palate.— Howard G. Goldberg
2 : a period of lingering anger, fear, bitterness, etc., that follows a painful or traumatic event … the afterburn of a hateful divorce.— Gillian Flynn
3 : the consumption of calories by the body in the period following exercise Is the afterburn real? Whether the metabolism speeds up for hours after exercise is an old question, and studies over the years have produced mixed results.News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina)

Examples of afterburn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, research shows that high-intensity training produces a bigger afterburn effect than steady-state training does. Lauren Bedosky, SELF, "Let’s Talk About the Myth of Running and Weight Loss," 16 Dec. 2017 Bueno’s house special is a chicken breast in her house recipe mole, brown and sweet but with a notable afterburn. Bud Kennedy, star-telegram.com, "A new chicken mole at Frida’s, and prepare for the Peach Festival," 5 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'afterburn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of afterburn

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 2

History and Etymology for afterburn

after- + burn entry 2

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