# burn off

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To dissipate as the result of heat.
2. To cause to dissipate by applying heat.
3. To dispose of (unusable explosive natural gas from an oil well) by burning it as it emerges from the well.
4. To fail due to overheating.
5. To fill (low-value air time) with programming not suitable for its original purpose.
6. To expend energy resulting from metabolizing food.
7. To use up a resource in a nonproductive manner.
8. Cause to waste energy.
9. To speed past (someone), such as in a race, especially when first starting off.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/burn-off