conflagration

noun

con·​fla·​gra·​tion ˌkän-flə-ˈgrā-shən 

1

: fire

especially : a large disastrous fire

The conflagration destroyed the warehouses.

2

: conflict, war

The conflagration between the two countries lasted for ten years.

Synonyms of conflagration

• inferno
• fire

Examples of conflagration in a Sentence

The treaty is the latest attempt to resolve the ten-year conflagration.

the historic tavern burned to the ground in a horrible conflagration

Recent Examples on the Web

The price of oil jumped quickly and has risen steadily as the prospect of a longer conflagration grows more likely. —Justin Worland, Time, 6 Mar. 2026

The ensuing conflagration now involves a dozen countries in the Middle East. —Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026

The conflagration — which resulted in decapitation strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other top officials in Iran’s command structure — spread across the Middle East on Monday and destabilized energy markets. —Dallas Morning News, 2 Mar. 2026

But, at this point, the Middle East conflagration does not require a full-scale rethinking of the portfolio, or anything close to it. —Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin conflagrātiōn-, conflagrātiō, from conflagrāre "to be destroyed by fire, be burnt down" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at conflagrant

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for conflagration

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

conflagration

noun

con·​fla·​gra·​tion ˌkän-flə-ˈgrā-shən 

: a large disastrous fire