wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(-ə)ld-ˌfī(-ə)r 

1

: a sweeping and destructive conflagration especially in a wilderness or a rural area

2

: greek fire

3

: a phosphorescent glow (such as ignis fatuus or fox fire)

4

: a destructive leaf-spot disease of tobacco caused by several strains of a bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae)

Phrases

like wildfire

: very rapidly

the news spread like wildfire

Examples of wildfire in a Sentence

The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.

Recent Examples on the Web

Our clean energy and wildfire prevention efforts are saving billions—both in disaster costs and everyday bills. —MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

The wildfire has been burning on private land. —Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2025

Every wildfire that takes down a transmission line, every flood that swallows a road, every heatwave that makes a solar farm falter all slow the very systems meant to replace fossil fuels. —Natalie Unterstell, Time, 6 Nov. 2025

The Eaton Fire, which occurred back in January, was the second-most destructive wildfire in California history, burning almost 6,000 homes across Altadena. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wildfire

• spread like wildfire

Rhymes for wildfire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r 

: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area