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 last two songs ended in all-out thrash conflagrations, delighting the slam-dancers at the center of the floor. — Steve Knopper, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026

Chwalińska was the symbol of a tournament busted wide open, a chaotic conflagration of all the forces of women’s tennis these days, where depth causes danger from the moment the first balls fly. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 June 2026

Higher temperatures combined with dense volumes of dry and flammable vegetation has raised the risk of even the smallest conflagrations quickly bellowing into unstoppable mega-fires. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 1 June 2026

Israeli military strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure have sparked days-long conflagrations, releasing a plume of noxious sulflur dioxide over an area roughly the size of Italy. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 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