inferno
noun
in·fer·no
in-ˈfər-(ˌ)nō 
plural infernos
: a place or a state that resembles or suggests hell
the inferno of war
Examples of inferno in a Sentence
By the time help arrived, the fire had grown to a raging inferno.
the intense heat of the raging inferno repeatedly drove back the firefighters
Recent Examples on the Web
Twenty-six years earlier, a roaring inferno engulfed a Monte Carlo penthouse killing a billionaire and his private nurse.
—
Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 May 2026
The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen on the second floor, but the cause of the inferno has not yet been determined, per CBS News.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Pratt took aim at Bass over the lack of water available during the inferno, with fire hydrants running dry.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Chile’s inferno was fueled by extreme heat, with temperatures pushing above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and abnormally dry conditions — but it was also driven by human changes to the landscape.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferno
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Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 May 2026
The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen on the second floor, but the cause of the inferno has not yet been determined, per CBS News.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Pratt took aim at Bass over the lack of water available during the inferno, with fire hydrants running dry.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Chile’s inferno was fueled by extreme heat, with temperatures pushing above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and abnormally dry conditions — but it was also driven by human changes to the landscape.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferno
Cite this Entry
“Inferno.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inferno. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inferno
noun
in·fer·no
in-ˈfər-nō
plural infernos
: a place or state that resembles or suggests hell especially in great heat or raging fire
Etymology
from Italian inferno "underworld, hell," from Latin infernus (same meaning), from earlier infernus (adjective) "lying beneath, in the lower regions"
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