brushfire

1 of 2

adjective

brush·​fire ˈbrəsh-ˌfī(-ə)r How to pronounce brushfire (audio)
: involving mobilization only on a small and local scale
brushfire border wars

brush fire

2 of 2

noun

1
: a fire involving low-growing plants (such as scrub and brush)
2
: a minor conflict or crisis
putting out political brush fires

Examples of brushfire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Firefighters quickly extinguished a brush fire on a Clairemont hillside Sunday morning. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 June 2025 The brush fire grew 8 acres, prompting evacuation orders in parts of the city. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 11 June 2025 Only 14 of them are routinely available to fight brush fires, The Times previously reported. Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025 The brush fire’s smoke could be seen from space, satellite imagery from the National Weather Service showed. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for brushfire

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1954, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brushfire was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Brushfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brushfire. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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