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burn off meaning and examples

2025-09-12

Meaning

Burn off is a phrasal verb that means to remove, consume, or eliminate something by burning or using energy. It is commonly used in the context of exercise (using energy/calories) or in a literal sense (burning away something unwanted, like fog or fuel).

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: Phrasal verb (transitive and intransitive, depending on context)

  • Forms: burns off, burned off/burnt off, burning off

  • Usage patterns:

    • burn off + noun (transitive) → “He burned off the calories.”
    • subject + burns off (intransitive) → “The fog burned off by noon.”

Common Phrases

  • burn off calories – to use energy by exercising
  • burn off fat – to reduce body fat through activity
  • burn off energy – to use up extra energy, often referring to children playing
  • fog burns off – when fog disappears as the sun heats the air

Collocations

  • burn off calories
  • burn off fat
  • burn off excess energy
  • fog burns off
  • burn off fuel

Examples

  1. She goes jogging every morning to burn off calories.
  2. The children ran around the park to burn off some energy.
  3. The pilot needed to burn off fuel before landing.
  4. The morning fog burned off by 10 a.m.
  5. He does yoga to burn off stress after work.
  6. Walking after dinner helps you burn off fat.
  7. The excess paint smell will burn off once the heater warms the room.
  8. The chef burned off the alcohol while cooking with wine.
  • work off
  • use up
  • get rid of
  • dissipate (for fog/smoke)

Antonym

  • build up
  • accumulate
  • store up