The phrase "burn at the stake" refers to a grisly method of execution in which a convicted individual is tied to a post and burned alive. This phrase is often associated with the witch hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as with other historical instances of religious persecution. Synonyms for this phrase include "burned alive," "flamed to death," "set on fire," "incinerated," and "roasted." These terms all describe the same violent act of setting fire to a person, and they are often used interchangeably in historical texts and discussions of capital punishment.