Definition of conflagrationnext
1
as in inferno
a destructive burning the historic tavern burned to the ground in a horrible conflagration

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2
as in hostilities
a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups what began as a skirmish over disputed territory erupted into a conflagration that swept the continent

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conflagration The Maricopa County medical examiner determined that Vega died from conflagration, blunt force and ballistic injuries. Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 12 May 2026 Left unchecked, this lint can slowly snowball, to the point where an errant spark could lead to a serious conflagration inside the vent. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2026 The conflagration caused the building’s roof to collapse and escalated to a six-alarm fire, requiring the response of around 175 firefighters. Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 The possibility—the probability—of conflagration is on every Western mind. Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conflagration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conflagration
Noun
  • 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
Noun
  • The onset of hostilities was enough to persuade around a hundred and eighty Democrats to support the measure.
    Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • Russia and Ukraine accused each other of repeatedly violating the pause in hostilities.
    Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • More than 750 firefighters have been assigned to the fire, which sparked on Monday morning.
    Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 19 May 2026
  • Last year Quantinuum posted a preprint on arXiv saying its two-dimensional simulation modeling the material shows that under laser fire, its electrons pair up—a condition necessary for flow without resistance.
    Zeeya Merali, Scientific American, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • During my lifetime there have been 55 years in which my country has engaged in prolonged and endless conflicts or wars, few of which have brought a decisive victory.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
  • Despite efforts from governments worldwide to boost supply during the war, including tapping into emergency oil stockpiles, steep oil prices remain.
    Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conflagration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conflagration. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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